


Clementine's Fall

by AwatereJones, meretrixvilis



Series: Time Traveller Verse [6]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alt Verse, Drama, F/M, Family, Gen, Heartache, M/M, fix
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-06-24 12:31:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 25,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15630735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones, https://archiveofourown.org/users/meretrixvilis/pseuds/meretrixvilis
Summary: You know the song "Oh my Darling Clementine" right? She fell and drowned. Ianto's dreams are not of drowning or of Archie's girl Clem but they are all connected somehow and Ianto wants to fix it if he can ... even if it costs him. Rolling in the deep, we do not all float down there and Yan learns you can't unring a bell - not really. Meretrixvilis and I hope you like this one xx





	1. Chapter 1

The pitch of the screaming changed and he knew it was not just shaking now, but smacking so he peeked out from under the table cloth to see his Da's hand around his Mama's throat as he used the other one to slap her hard, then release her to slide to the floor.

Rhiannon had started this one, home late from her play date and Da said it was Mama's fault for not controlling her. He said she would be fat and pregnant too if she had her way, another poor bastard trapped into a world of lies. Rhiannon had said sorry only to get the first smack, then the children had run. Rhiannon was currently behind the sofa in the main room, Ianto able to see through the large arched doorway where her hand clutched at the curtains to pull them in so she was better hid.

Mama was sitting with her legs out and she looked a bit like one of Rhiannon's rag dolls, a slipper off and her head slumped forward onto her chest. He wondered if she was dead. Maybe they was all dead now.

Da was breathing heavily, looking like one of those monsters off the movies with his head down, his fists clenched and his shoulders bowed. Bladdered again.

Then his head swivelled to the sofa and Ianto felt that familiar drop in his stomach.

Oh no.

Rhi-rhi.

Da moved slowly towards the sofa, his right hand unclenching to reach out, intending to seize the arm of it and drag the entire thing out in order to get to his daughter who he always blamed for his need to drink, the one who trapped him by becoming. Ianto sometimes wondered why he was born, what his purpose was.

Now as he watched, his little mind suddenly saw something he had never seen before. His sister's face became visible as the sofa drew back and she glanced over at Ianto, her eyes eye with terror and he saw it.

His purpose.

Gods, this was gonna suck.

Ianto crawled out from under the table and over his Mama's legs, the wet floor making him slide as that voice in the back of his head said it was Mama's pee-pee but right now he had a purpose and he was not going to shirk his responsibilities.

Ianto rose to his entire three foot (there abouts or something) manly little barely school age self and he jutted out his chin as he looked over at his sister cowering on the floor, "You know what Da? Maybe it's your fault. If you loved us you would be a better Da!"

Mama couldn't protect them now, she couldn't save them. He now saw that this was his job, he had to man-up. He knew it was gonna hurt, knew of all his beatings he had received this was gonna hurt so damned much but as his Da swung that fist towards him he saw the relief on his sister's face, that moment of realisation that he was not gonna to bad things to her this time and for that split second before his head exploded….

It felt right

.

.

.

.

Ianto lay there for a while as his heart beat about in his ribcage, trying to escape the nightmare he had been unable to.

Da.

Ianto closed his eyes and fought tears, that first real beating had been a doozy, Mama had wept as she held his little body in the bathtub and tried to wash off all the blood. Da asleep in the bedroom with that rattling snore of his.

"Ianto?"

"I'm OK, a bad dream Cariad" Ianto whispered as he slid into those warm arms full of love and he placed his head on Jack's chest listening until his heart slowed to match that strong one that also beat for him.

Jack's hands soothed as he rubbed Ianto's shoulders feeling the tension in them and although he wanted to ask what had scared him so much in his dream, had caused him to cry out with fear he resisted.

He had sounded like Byrd had earlier that day when she fell for the tree she had been told specifically not to climb. Of course Ianto caught her, the laughter as she swung her up again a balm.

Jack knew whatever this was, it needed more that some soft laughter so he kissed him gently in the hopes that this would suffice.

He hoped Ianto would shake it off, these dreams always leaving him jumpy the next day.


	2. selective memory

"What are you talking about?" Rhiannon screwed up her face as she leaned back in her chair to watch Ianto pour the hot water into the pot.

Ianto carried the tea pot to the table and set it down, settling in his own chair with a cant of his head, "The night he broke the sofa."

She stared at him.

"He did?"

"Remember? Mama wet herself and you hid behind the sofa, me under the table? That first night I challenged him and he beat me instead of hurting you" Ianto pointed and Rhiannon snorted as she shook her head.

"Ianto … I don't know what you mean. I don't remember that. Sure Da had a tempter and…well could drink but he never hurt me" she said as she patted his arm, "He used to yell and break things sure, which sofa?"

"Jesus on a pogo stick you really do not remember do you" Ianto was amazed, she had apparently just blocked that part of their life.

"All I remember is you and Da always seemed to butt heads. Poor Mama used to cry for you both to stop. It was like you wanted him to explode." She shook her head, "I used to wish you would just let up."

"Just… oh Rhia. He used to come after you once Mama was out cold. I used to distract him so you could hide, then I would run if I could" Ianto poured the tea, "Anyway, you don't remember. Maybe it was a different time for me than for you. I am glad you let it go, maybe one day I will let it go too. Come, we will not speak of it again, let's just have some tea and you can tell me what Luc thinks he is doing wearing your pearls today."

"Oh gods" she grimaced and he enjoyed her glee, also the easy way she had fallen into his speech patterns "he's thinking they are swish. I didn't even know he had them until Mimi started to giggle. It was all I could do to remain calm. When I said they were not usually worn by men he pointed out that you had several strings. Of course, this made it worse."

"Luc is a good man who has no fear of his masculinity or his feminine side" Ianto assured her, "After all, he rocks that hair."

She was still giggling when the phone rang and Ianto placed it on speaker, "Oi. Archie sent one of his weird emails again, you coming on or what?"

"Hello Owen, yes I shall come in soon" Ianto said gently, "Just don't respond again, you know it only encourages him."

Ianto rose and went upstairs, changing to come back down and call to Jack who was surprised to find Yan coming towards him. "Babe?"

"Archie"

"Ah" Jack grimaced, "He trying to e-mail Owen again?"

"You know it always ends in tears, I will head in and sort it" Yan smiled, "You want to get the stink?"

"Oooo Lin, did you hear what Taddette called you?" Jack crooned as he scooped up the baby from his mother's embrace, "Come on."

"I could mind him" Dahlia said with annoyance.

"Hearthwarmer, you know he always comes on a Tuesday. If Yan is talking to Archie he definitely needs to come, Archie has this thing about seeing him, loves the Baby" Jack said softly, "Besides, Owen's not seen him all week."

"It's only Tuesday" she defended as she rose to watch Jack flounce off with the baby, then she sighed as her eyes slid to the woman currently walking across the grass towards her own house.

"Rhiannon? Do you have a moment love?" she called as she rose to follow her instead … after all she was family now right? If she played it right and with those lovely Lavender …er…Lilacs maybe she could convince them that they needed a little one of their own, after all … she knew how handsome the babies they made are.

Yan was standing by the SUV and glanced back in time to see Dahlia shooting into Rhiannon's house with her hands clasped together, the ultimate scheming witch stance.

"Cariad? Is your Mama up to something?"

Jack turned to see Dahlia disappear inside, his frown matching Yan's.

"With her it could mean anything, I hope it's not another cat litter hidden somewhere, she is so good at hiding new ones from us" Jack frowned, then went back to securing the baby seat.

Yan sighed as she settled into the driver's seat and turned the engine over, Jack sliding into the passenger seat to turn and croon at the baby, liking this strange way of travel at the moment. Yan knew it was insane to drive with the passenger stuck between the seats but Jack was protective of Lin in a way he hadn't been with Byrd. He knew it was the fact Lin looked like him, Jack seeing the tiny Ianto with such an innocence that Ianto has never shown.

Shame really.

Bet he was a gorgeous baby once.


	3. little man syndrome?

"Right-O, read it out while I settle him" Yan said as she smiled and placed Lin into the playpen the others were already in, Hero cooing happily in welcome.

"Dear little one." Owen bristled and let the page drop, "See? He starts right in with a fucking insult."

"And?"

"So pleased to see the latest picture of you that Yan sent. Shame you have not grown any from the last one. Archie hopes you are not stunted" Owen dropped the paper again, his look one of woe, "See? He thinks I'm a runt for fucksake."

"Cuss in front of the babies again and I will thump you on the head, ya might actually lose some height" Rhys said calmly as he wandered past and Owen growled, then lifted the paper again.

"You looked cute in the little suit, Archie didn't know they made them that small, he was right pleased" Owen muttered as he shook the paper for a moment, then continued, "Archie's girl sends her wishes and said if she saw you she would like to gobble you up."

Yan was struggling as Jack gaped from behind Owen's chair, the mention of the elusive and sweet Clementine as anything other than saintly prim lady she always seemed to be was unheard of. Jack couldn't let that slide, "Owen, you know Clementine would never…I mean … Archie would cut your stick off."

Jack then noticed Yan's muffled sniggers, "Babe?"

"Lin" she managed to squeak out as she pointed at the page and Jack stared, then looked at Owen and started to snigger too.

"Oh. Nice. You are thinking this is funny?"

"What my beloved Holdfast is trying to choke out is that this is an e-mail to Lin, not you. He calls Lin the Little one. He had that tiny tux on at the after party for Rhiannon's wedding? Ianto sent him a pic? You know Archie and Clementine have an album. Lin. Not you" Jack was laughing as Owen finally got it and started to laugh softly as well. Yan headed over to pick up the baby, wouldn't do to phone Archie without Lin there to coo and gobble down the phone, Archie and Clementine gushing from the other end at Torchwood House like a couple of grandparents on a long distance call.

"If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times" Owen shook his head as Yan headed upstairs, "Archie is a bloody weirdo."

Owen squeezed his little rubber alien as its eyes popped repeatedly out of its head then placed it down beside the miniature toilet, then as an afterthought placed it on it.

.

.

.

.

Rhiannon was watching the children play as Dahlia tried to bring the conversation around to babies but Rhiannon wasn't really listening as she leaned in to watch Luc join the children in play, lifting Mimi into the air as she screamed with glee.

The old furniture from the house Owen and Tosh had taken was still in the back yard, now sleeping spots for the animals and occasional the ex-time agent who pretended he was a Captain. Mimi ran, still laughing as she looked back over her shoulder, Luc following with growling and stomping.

Mimi shrunk behind the sofa and Rhiannon saw.

She saw.

The hand swung, reaching for the arm of the sofa and yanking it back with such force that it crumbled. Probably from being outside for months in the weather but she didn't see that, she just saw the child on the ground looking up a Luc advanced.

Rhiannon saw.

Da.

She was shaking as she grabbed the edge of the sink, her knees almost giving out as she remembered the smell of urine.

.

.

.

.

.

Yan was swinging in the chair as she began the call, "Hello Archie. Yan here."

"Yan! Archie was just thinking of you!"

"Well, Lin here wanted to say hi if you have the time" Yan smiled as Lin sat up, as if hearing and interested as he started a little streak of unintelligible babble at the phone, little hands waving.

"Archie hears a story there."

"Wait, you on the laptop?" Yan asked and she reached forward to click a button, the screen flickering to life as the Skype connected and Archie sat with a look of surprise that quickly became glee as he leaned forward to watch the grabby hand monster.

"There he is" Archie chortled, "Clementine, Lin is visiting with Archie on the screen! Look!"

There was a flurry to of activity and Ianto saw the torso and hips of Archie's assistant, her glee apparent as she clutched the back of his chair, "Ahhh, look he's adorable. So sweet."

"Does Lin hear that?" Archie crooned, "Clem says he is adorable, yes she does."

Yan smiled as she wished Clem would bend down, the fact she had never seen her slightly mystifying. Jack had and said she was a real looker, something about some alien tech or something that he wouldn't discuss.

"Archie wonders how old Lin is now"

Yan blinked back to the present conversation "Er … his first birthday was just before Christmas, Archie sent Lin a lovely little glass cat for his glass collection of animals."

Ianto hated reverting to third person speaking but knew Archie was more happy that way, letting the man wave enthusiastically at the baby who laughed and waved back.

Down in the Hub Owen watched the feed with interest.

Archie had never looked so … fake. Was that a wig?


	4. hidden in plain sight

"Did you see her this time?" Jack knew why Yan had been watching the screen intently.

"No, just that pert waist." She replied with a soft sigh of annoyance, "she is so shy."

"Yeah, hates people. No, not really, I mean she hates interaction. Like you really... Loves her archives and Archie of course" Jack snorted. "You know, the age difference doesn't really matter when...well. You know. Our gap is only a moment in our eternity right?"

"Right. Tell me" Owen stomped in and slumped in the chair, "That fucking wig isn't fooling no one. That comment about not growing … I've looked back on all the pictures we have and although the hair is grey and the clothing is disgustingly old man … not a single fucking wrinkle behind those big arse glass lenses … shit, don't tell Rhys I cussed in front of Linny."

"Archie was born around 1861." Jack began with a roll of his eyes, Owen like a dog with a bone, "In 1897, he worked at Torchwood House and started cataloguing the Torchwood Archive of alien artefacts, beginning with Object One. He was the director of the Torchwood Institute's London branch in 1899. On 17 May of 1889, he was rendered incapacitated when he was rapidly aged by an alien creature which fed on youth, leaving the position of Torchwood London leader vacant. However, as a result, his appearance also did not change for over a century. He celebrated his 100th birthday at a party thrown at Torchwood House. Then there was this…er…incident in November of 1989 when a piece of tech from another galaxy that was supposed to make someone well reacted to his … uniqueness. He and Clementine were both hit with the thing's cleansing rays that sought to de-age him. Clem grabbed at him with horror when he became…sort of … ah….younger and as she yanked it off him she also got a burst. Although it didn't de-age her it has….sort of stopped aging her. And him. They've not aged a day since the accident. She is forever a sweet barely thirty something and Archie is about fifty. I think."

"And he refers to himself in the third person, which I attribute to either eccentricity or whisky. This ineptitude with email caused him to send a picture of the Loch Ness Monster to the Glasgow Herald" Owen flapped his hands. "That was a bitch to clean up for Yan."

Owen, it's just the way he is" Yan shrugged.

It wasn't until later that she remembered Jack being uncomfortable in giving the date of the second incident. Had he been there? With that in mind she went to the archives and brought it up, nothing on file so another hour before she found the old file shoved in the back of a drawer. She was not surprised to find there was very little to go on, the usual Harkness scrawl saying only that Archie and Clem signed the usual papers and were going to be fine.

She tapped it with one of her fignrnails as she wondered… what had he not said in here?

.

.

.

.

Dahlia didn't know what had upset the girl, her demeanour changing and she wondered if she might be pregnant but then remembered her saying she couldn't have any more. Pity.

They settled for a cuppa and a talk about things in general, Rhiannon seeming distracted and although she tried to get out of her what it was there was no indicator of the problem. The sound of the SUV powering up the driveway had Rhiannon rising from her chair as if she were to flee but instead she excused herself and headed for Jack's place.

Yes Dahlia did consider this all Jack's, even though she did love his mate it was Boeshane Tradition that the man owned everything and in her eyes Jack would always be the man, please don't hate her for that. It's the way she was raised and she finds comfort in knowing she has a home with him.

As she watched Rhiannon run for the SUV and Yan turn with open surprise to accept a hug she saw for the very first time that she had been remiss in her handling of the family unit. She had overlooked the fact this was all family, she had a daughter here she has been terribly rude in ignoring and whether Rhiannon liked it or not she was about to get some mothering that might hve some consequences for everyone.

Especially Rhiannon.


	5. fixed points suck

Yan was watching the children play as she sat with her long slender legs folded under her, the old sofa chosen had been lovingly covered with a blanket by Jack who had kissed her as he had whooshed Lin up and inside for a snack.

Rhiannon was watching her.

Yan knew she was as she felt that weird feeling you get when eyes are on you and she figured whatever the problem was she would come over sooner or later to talk. Yan looked over the edge of her magazine to see where they were, Gray a step ahead with his hand almost blended into the tree trunk as he watched the girls. Yan knew Jack would be tickled pink to know the camouflage paint he had given the child had been taken with glee. Of course the little Byrdie knew he was there, always present and she was confidently standing up to Micha who wanted the spade Byrd was currently waving about.

"Give it to me!" Micha roared and Rhiannon jumped, the deep voice from the small child a surprise to someone who did not know those Jones voices could boom when angry.

"Go suck a duck!" Byrd retorted cheekily and Yan laughed as she tried to rise from her seat, the musical notes of their mother long since gone making Rhiannon turn to watch as Yan clapped her hands.

"That's enough of that, come on now. If Byrd is not finished with the spade, please choose one from over there" she pointed "the boys left their spades right there."

"Oh. Didn't see" Micha frowned as she stomped over "they are all dirty though."

Byrd slammed her spade into the mud and sighed theatrically, "Well botheration!"

Yan sniggered as she sat back down and glanced at Rhiannon, "You OK Sissy?"

"Have you ever noticed how she has his temper?"

Yan frowned as she canted her head, "Who? Byrdie? Jack can be a dork but not in front of her, I don't think she has ever seen him …"

"No. No. Mimi" she cut her off, "Just then. She sounded just like Da."

"Ah" Yan grimaced and looked at the clouds passing for a while, Rhiannon surprised by this tactic of avoidance, then she finally spoke, "Well. He is in me too. You think he isn't?"

"Oh don't be silly, you haven't got a speck of him in you" Rhiannon laughed as she shook her head, "Look at you. Mama down to the flecks of gold in your bloody hair."

Yan considered, and then let her hair darken, bleeding black from the roots down to the tips and she blinked slowly at Rhiannon as her face broadened.

"This is me too" she said calmly as Rhiannon gaped, "The 'me' you see all the time is the 'me' I wish I were. The 'me' I strive to be."

Yan shook her head and as the hair flew it seemed to shake off the darkness, settling on her shoulders blonde once more as Yan's face reassembled it's familiar beauty. "Rhia, this isn't me. It's an illusion. An effect. Something happened, something…that will never happen and never be, but once upon a time, for a fold in the fabric of it…it happened. I had to do what was needed to close the fold, stitch it over and trap that thing in there, make it gone."

Rhiannon understood this language, their no-hoper father might have just worked at Denhams but their Grandy was a Master Tailor, she knew Yan spoke of a pocket, a dart and she tried to understand what Yan was trying to tell her.

"I did terrible things, horrible things that were needed to be done, I killed people. One man, I cut his throat and felt the blade pop through the flesh. For a moment I felt…almost a lust. It was such a rush that I think I smiled" she sighed and rubbed at her face, "Not the first time and not the last. I have killed and felt not the slightest remorse. Not a jot."

Rhiannon looked at her long and hard then frowned, "but they were all bad, right?"

"Yes. All bad." Yan conceded, "But you remember that night in your house, when they came and Luc put them down, you saw the blood lust in us, the calm way we disposed of them. That side of me is him, I feel it like a sickness, like a bad taste in my mouth. At first I was afraid of it but now I see it is a necessary thing. Why Mama failed to escape him. Relentless drive to win, to succeed. Maybe…maybe if that night it had been her who had the upper hand, her who had lifted that knife….Gods."

"But she didn't. He did" Rhiannon said flatly, "Shame that fold in time didn't take you back there, if it were possible to jump through time…there is a place someone with a speck of his nastiness should visit."

Yan grimaced as she wished such a thing could be true but it was a fixed point. The life without her had honed Ianto into the man he had become, the one who had smuggled a Cyberwoman into a hub and then shagged the captain.

The man who now had a crystal in his heart that lamented time too.

Deep down Yan knew a lifetime with Mama still alive would not have led to this spot.

Isn't life a bitch sometimes.


	6. Warning ... rabbit hole ahead

Ianto was humming softly as he made some coffee, the sound of Owen slamming into the house making him pause, then turn with surprise "Owen?"

"Fucking lawyer's letter" Owen threw it on the table, "The old bitch thinks she might be dying again, wants me at the besdie for some bullshit talk."

Ianto turned and picked it up, "what do you mean again?"

"Every few years she tries this, I used to fall for it and go home only to find her sitting in her bed with the flu, making her last will and testament" Owen sighed, "Bitch."

Ianto remembered the woman they had seen that day in the mall, her scorn and nastiness and sighed, "I am sorry Owen. She is no mother. Wish you had been given a better start. You are a good man, you know that right?"

Owen slammed the fridge door and glared into space for a while, "you know, I see Jack with his mum, you with her and wonder ya know? It's alright for you. You loved your mum, for all the shitty things that have happened in your life at least you have that. I don't have nothing! Nothing of my childhood."

"Yes you do" Ianto pulled him into a hug, "You have strength. You have your pride. You know she never took that from you. For what it's worth, I would miss you."

"Thanks mate" Owen smiled as he pulled himself tighter, "Gonna go…ah…pick up the trash can I kicked over."

Ianto watched him leave and sighed, heading into the home office to Jack who was talking to someone on speaker. Ianto didn't care landing in his lap and leaning against him.

"Hey" Jack said softly, "What's this? Baby?"

"I miss my Mama" Ianto said sadly, his voice breaking as he snuggled into Jack, "Every day she gets less…. Solid in my brain ya know? It's like he's taking her from me every day, one increment at a time. My lovely mummy"

"Hey" Jack held him tight, "What's wrong here, hey."

"It just sucks that's all. I love your mama, don't get me wrong but… I remember my mum's smell. I still do, in the night I can smell it in the air and …." Ianto sighed as he cuddled in and Jack turned to the screen.

"Sorry Archie, gotta cut this one short, tell that lovely lady listening off to the side that we would dearly love the apple pie recipe" Jack smiled and then the screen went blank as Archie frowned softly, turning to speak to his 'lady' as he sighed off.

"Well now lassie, don't you start…." Archie was gone, the screen silent.

"What's happened" Jack repeated.

"Owen's mother contacted him and he sort of reminded me that growing up without a mother is not fun. I don't want that for our kids, I am so glad… so glad. I love you so much Cariad, I want…."

"Jackie?" Archie said calmly and they turned to see him sitting there on the screen again, "sorry to Interrupt but Archie had a question he forgot to ask. It's about the wee man. Did you say he needed another rattle?"

Ianto started to laugh as he assured Archie there was definitely no need for another rattle and Archie snorted then leaned back as a delicate arm came into view, a hand with long artistic looking fingers placing down a cup and Jack blurted it out without thinking.

"Clem, you put the cup down like Ianto does!"

Then it happened.

It was brief but her shocked expression as she realised the camera was on, turning to look directly at the screen as her long blonde hair slid from her face and Ianto blinked as he looked at the beautiful woman definitely younger than she should be.

"Damn it all, Archie told you he was gonna call them back Clemmy!" Archie snarled "Get woman."

"Don't speak to her like that!" Ianto roared with anger, confused as he felt his hackles rise.

"Easy Tiger" Jack crooned, "Easy now love."

"Archie wasn't being nasty, we talk to one another like that being silly. Clementine knows Archie loves her, calm down now boy" Archie soothed.

"Don't call me boy, you know I hate that" Ianto bristled as he rose from Jack's lap and started to pace. Jack signed off and turned to watch Ianto pace, something new annoying him now.

"Tiger?"

Ianto swung to face him, his face stony now.

"How long have you known her" he demanded and Jack frowned.

"What? Ah … years. Literally years. I had a weird call from a Torchwood operative to meet her with a package, she was that package. I had to take her to Archie" Jack said slowly wondering why Ianto seemed so …. Angry?

"Ianto, I don't see the problem. It was so long ago" Jack shook his head as he turned away and Ianto stopped pacing, swinging to face him.

"When!"

"What?" Jack looked at him again, "When what?"

"The assignment."

"Leave it alone!" Jack warned "She likes her privacy, they both do."

Ianto stood staring at Jack for a while as he wondered exactly what Jack wasn't telling him, looking nervous now.

He couldn't get that image out of his head, that moment where a rare glimpse of her was on screen.

He knew her.


	7. Sarah

"Are you sure?" Tosh asked as she watched Ianto pluck at his trouser leg with a frown, "If it was only for a moment, I mean."

"Tosh, I would know that jaw line anywhere. I am telling you it was eerie. Like… I was looking at her" Ianto repeated, "I keep going over it in my mind and … she was pregnant before she died ya know. She was. We were told the baby died, that she miscarried but what it she didn't. What if she adopted it out?"

"Ianto, if she would adopt out a baby to save it from him wouldn't she have done that with you too?" Tosh argued as the conversation continued to confuse her. "So let me get this right. You think Clementine is your long lost sister who looks exactly like your mother. From a momentary glimpse."

"All I needed." Ianto slammed his hand on the table making her jump and she glanced over to see the children all kicking energetically in the sun ignoring the entire thing, "Are you questioning my memory? Me?"

"Calm down, why are you so angry" Tosh asked gently, reaching out to pat his hand, "Ianto, please. Take a moment to breathe."

"Gods, sorry Tosh. Shit" Ianto sighed, "I just … it's the only thing that makes sense. Her age… not much younger than me. What else can it be? And Jack knows something, all furtive and antsy. He's deliberately evading my questions about her."

"He always has even before you came along. I tried everything to find out about her once upon a time" Tosh argued, "I am telling you … she has been there so long she must have been there her entire life or something."

"So she was a baby when Jack gave her to Archie?" Ianto frowned. "See?"

"Ianto, drop it. You really need more active duty if you need something to chew on like this" Tosh laughed, "Look at you, slathering."

"Oh gods, you're right" Ianto laughed at himself as he threw his arms up, "I'm obsessing aren't I. This is silly, I mean … I remember her crying, I remember the blood in the bathroom. It was a miscarriage right? She said that it was, she would never forgive him. It was barely three days later she was gone."

"This is really stirring things up isn't it" Tosh rose and walked over to hug him, "Owen and his mother, you and yours. Such opposites. You would give anything to have yours, Owen would like to run his over."

"I've met her and I don't blame him" Ianto hugged her back "Sorry. I am being a bloody fool."

"Look, maybe you should take a day or so away for the subject, refocus. Yeah?" Tosh asked and Ianto nodded as he agreed, maybe she was right he just needed a change.

"Hey good looking" he called as he walked across the lawn and saw Jack out there with the boys and he waved back, "Guess what!"

"What!" Jack grinned.

"I have decided we need a change. Pick a colour" Ianto said and Jack canted his head with confusion, "Go on. Brunette, red head, chestnut … come on. Anything but blonde, I might be someone else for the afternoon, if you don't mind …. Some role play maybe?"

Jack's face lit up as he caught on, "Really? Gonna give me another girl to play with?"

Ianto laughed and slapped at him, "Stop it! Come on, pick."

"Um" Jack screwed his face up as he considered "Auburn. You know, that deep dark red that is like a fire?"

"OK" Ianto smiled, "give me time to change the wardrobe too. I am going for completely different."

Jack was excited, already on the phone making reservations at their favourite restaurant, then he realised they would think he as having an affair and he roared with mirth as he called another they didn't go to much, sniggering as he felt like a naughty child in the cookie jar.

"OK" Yan said as she entered the room, the long dark red hair in large ringlets bouncing on her shoulders and the orange and yellow clothing looked like she had stepped from a magazine cover … of course. This is still Yan ya know, "Well?"

Jack seemed dumbstruck, staring at Yan like she had come out as a Barganirt from the Market Planet or something.

"Jack?" Yan frowned, "What's wrong?"

Still Jack stared.

"Come on Cariad" Yan laughed, "Pick a name for me. No, let me guess. Lola?"

Jack replied flatly, "Your name is Sarah."

"Sarah?" Yan snorted, "I thought it would be something weird or extravagant. Sarah?"

"Yeah" Jack said with a look of growing dread, "That's what you called yourself last time we met."

"Jack. Don't' be a divvy" she frowned as she placed her hands on her hips, "This is the first time I've …. Shit. I've used this in your past? Really?"

Jack rose and started looking busy as he placed the phonebook away.

"Jack?" Yan was now suspicious and felt the dread as well, "Tell me. When do you meet me?"

Jack glanced back and she knew.

Somehow she knew.

Spoilers.

"The night you met Clementine?"

"Yeah" Jack groaned as he knew he had to tell the truth, "You were the Torchwood operative that handed her off to me."

"Well fuck!" Yan barked with exasperation, "Now you have to tell me!"

"Yeah" Jack slumped into the sofa, "Fuck!"


	8. oh my darling

Jack stood waiting as the train pulled to a stop and the woman that stepped out was both more attractive than he thought she would be and more…intense. She turned and looked at him then started to walk, her face showing recognition and he wondered how she knew him when he had never seen her before. Someone this exotic would have settled in his brain for sure.

"Hi there" when in doubt go for the shit eating grin right? "I'm Captain…."

"Jack Harkness, yes I know. I don't have time for this" she said. Nervously glancing about "We need to get her out of the open. Now."

"Ok" Jack said slowly, "and SHE is?"

The woman turned and motioned making her long dark auburn hair swing like flames licking…a devil woman…. then a woman emerged from the train and Jack felt a surge of anger as he saw her face. The bruising was stark and he knew before she even got to him that she was badly damaged. He found himself reaching for his coat, sliding it from his shoulders to swing around hers, "Come on darling, lets get you somewhere warm."

They moved to the car and then through to the safe house where Jack would assess those sent for him to shuffle about. Usually they were alien, this was domestic. A real domestic by the look of it as he watched her struggle to pull the wedding rings off. "So. What's you name darling?"

She looked up at him, one eye puffed almost closed and then she glanced at Sarah who shrugged, "Well? Pick one."

"I … I don't know, what sort of name should I choose then?" she sighed and the Welsh vowels had Jack hesitating as he leaned forward.

"Well … something that is not you. Not similar, not likely to be easily slipped into yours by mistake when introducing yourself darling." Jack crooned and she smiled as she looked at him. "Or if someone calls your name you can ignore it as the new name is different."

"American" she said softly, "Calling me Darling."

"Well … Darlene?" Sara offered and then smiled softly, "Darling, oh my darling, oh my darling…"

"Clementine" the woman smiled, her face transforming to something almost pretty behind the bruising, "Yes! Clementine. I like that. Makes me think of the wild west, bustled skirts and those wide brimmed hats. Yes!"

Jack laughed as he leaned back, "And with hair like that I bet you could do a good braid for a pretty ribbon or two."

Sarah seemed happy with this, her hand snaking out to pat Clementine's hand then she motioned to the bathroom, "Go settle. You're dying for a shower and bed. Jack and I will take first watch, go on now."

"Can I … I mean… can you tell me if they are Ok?" she asked nervously, "Is he … really dead?"

"Clementine, I can't tell you anything, you know that. That's the deal. We never look back, we only move forward behind us all smoke and ash. The kids will be fine, they are fine. Believe me, they are going to make it. You need to think of yourself now, you and that one you are fighting for."

Jack watched the poor woman shuffle over and gather some things, then go into the bathroom and close the door. He looked at Sarah "She's pregnant?"

"Almost lost it. Two kids left behind that we couldn't bring with" she confirmed. "We have things in the background that mean we have to move in this direction, consider this… a done deal. A fixed event. You know what I mean?"

Jack rose and looked out in to the darkness, knowing all about leaving children behind but still needing to ask, "Is she likely to go back for them? Break cover?"

"No. She understands that she can never go back, journeys don't work that way. She is clever, a paradox needs to be avoided" Sarah said and Jack swung to look at her, this woman was more interesting than she sold herself.

"Tell me something I don't know" Jack said and she turned slowly to look at him, her silhouette alluring in the nasty lighting coming through the half open curtains of the window.

That you are a good man" she said cryptically, "that you are worth taking a punt on. Worth forgiving."

"A punt? Is that what they call it now?" he smiled as she moved closer and as his hands slid around her hips he sighed softly, feeling like he knew her, like this felt right.

Shame that after tonight he would likely never see her again.

.

.

.

.

"Come on! You slept with her" Yan was laughing softly, "Tell me, something to look forward to."

Then Yan's face changed as she registered what she had said and she stared intently at Jack "Tell me. Now. Report soldier!"

Jack knew the gig was up and nodded, setting to tell her everything she needed to know to make this happen while knowing somehow this was going to change things.

He could only hope that at the end of this Clementine would forgive him for not saying something sooner. Or maybe for saying anything at all but now he knew it was a fixed event and he had to, if it were to close a paradox.

He had promised.


	9. THAT night

The sound coming from inside was familiar and she took a moment to take a breath and release it slowly, glancing at the girl hiding in the hydrangeas. She knew she couldn't speak to her but the desire to comfort her would linger, she knew this as she moved past the girl and into the kitchen where the fight had already begun, the little boy flying across the room to slam into the wall next to her and she instinctively reached out before she remembered who he was and drew back.

Oops that was close.

Those steely grey eyes seemed to bore into her as he looked up at her them he swung to cry out, the man now clutching the mother's throat as she struggled, the knife in his other hand rising.

"Run" she hissed, "Go to your sister and hide."

She watched the little one stare at her then nod, accepting the order and heading out into the dark. She knew he would not return, didn't until the body was gone and only the smears of blood remained.

She let her breath out slowly as she raised the gun and the soft puff of air had the mother rearing back with shock as her husband's head seemed to disappear, the gun coming down as 'Sarah' holstered her piece of alien tech.

"What…what did you do?" the mother gasped, her hands around her own throat now as she tried to ease the pain.

"What do you think I did? I killed the pig" she replied, "And now I have to take you somewhere safe before that one inside you is lost."

"What?" she gaped, "no…no…my children…."

"Are already taken care of" Sarah lied, "Come on. You and I have to go."

"But…what about the body?"

"What body?" Sarah asked as she pulled out the gun and fired a few more times, the DNA atomiser destroying the body and leaving only a few smears of blood that were not his. Sickeningly it meant they were of the poor woman now starting to sob softy.

"He's really dead?"

"We don't have time to debate this, I have a bloody schedule to keep" Sarah said softly, "You need to move. You need to save yourself."

Sarah made the call to Jack, knowing he would obey as the Torchwood mantra was strong even back then…now…whatever…and as she walked to the train with her hand in the small of the woman's back she felt a strange thrill as she looked over at her own mother who was unaware of the shitstorm they were creating.

The body left behind in the kitchen had looked enough like Jenny to be believed to be her, the police not caring enough to check dental records. The kids would be taken into care as the manhunt for their father began…a manhunt that would never bear fruit and he remembered the grave he was forced to stand by with Rhiannon, throwing dirt onto the coffin of the …whoever it was inside…. Even then he had known it wasn't her. He remembered now. He had looked at the woman and known it wasn't their mother even as Rhiannon had sobbed and collapsed to cling to the coffin.

Now he knew why he had resisted.

Damn it all.

They sat on the train and she looked at her ….no. Cant' think that way. Not if this is to work. She saved her, right? Now she has to walk away. The baby sister or brother that would not have been if this didn't happen. She understood now. She had done this to herself.

She knew where Jack would be, his face so young and his eyes so haunted. She had forgotten how sad he had once been and as she accepted his handshake she looked into those eyes.

She almost said Cariad.

She definitely did that night as they made love, Jack gasping as she dug her claws into the meaty arse cheeks that were pumping energetically and he had laughed breathlessly as he lay in her arms, then slept.

She was gone before he woke, avoiding THAT conversation and she jumped back to find Jack waiting, his face full of delight as he grabbed her, "Hey good looking?"

"Cariad. Take me to bed" she whispered, "I feel the need for a seeing to."

They passed Rhiannon in the kitchen and Yan paused going over to lean against her and whisper, "Remember the night Mama died and Da ran away? You were so brave, you protected me Rhia. You held me in the dark while we hid in the garden until the Heddlu found us, remember? I love you."

Rhiannon sighed as she remembered too, the cold and wet of the garden, the smell of the dirt as Ianto had cried softly, clinging to her.

She had been brave. She remembered that.

Even then, she was strong.

Right?

Rhiannon rose and scooped up Lin, swinging him up so he laughed much as her mama had with her once and she put such thoughts away.

That was done with, in the past right?

This was a new world.

And she was the Mama now.

And she was mighty.

Yan looked back and saw her sister laughing in the sunlight.

Safe.

Paradox complete.


	10. flame

Yan had thought long and hard about things, the paradox now closed and then after telling herself to grow some fucking balls then laughing at herself for it, she jumped.

Archie stood with his back to her in the Warehouse, placing something on a shelf and she had time to watch Clementine turn to face her, the woman freezing as she stared at her and in that moment Yan knew this was not the sister she thought she was, using the same name as their mother. Not with the small scar that split her left eyebrow.

Yan stared silently at her mother who looked to be in her mid thirties still, even after all this time and Archie turned unaware of the visitor, "Archie is in the mood for some golf later missus!"

The voice was young, as was the man in the kilt that swung to grin and then let it fade as Yan in 'Sarah' guise stared at them.

"Well, thought I would drop in and say hi, see how things are going after all this time" she said calmly, her dark auburn hair swinging back to show that slender neck Jack loved to kiss.

"Well … you've not aged a day" Clementine spluttered.

"Neither have you! Don't tell me Jack Harkness is bloody infectious" Yan found herself snorting and Archie blinked then roared with mirth, his head falling back as his hands slammed to his hips and he let his kilt swing.

"Look at you, Agent Sarah Darling. You finally remembered how to walk right after that night of Harkness Madness? Archie was surprised at his gushing ya know, you really made an impression … the scratches on his back were savage! Archie must say … you are as excitingly hot in person as you were in the photos he took covertly of you!"

A cup of tea later and Clementine was past her shock and smiling at the woman who had saved her, "I never got a chance to thank you. You… you saved me in so many ways."

"I wish we could have kept in touch but there was a paradox in play I couldn't explain to you, obvious now as you see me. What about you though" Yan asked, still slightly amazed at her pretty mother's youth.

"Archie's fault" Archie blathered, "A piece of tech that blasted me and Clem was fried trying to save me, grabbing me to pull me off. We both got a boot of…forever."

"Immortal?"

"Maybe. We are aging, just very slowly. Small increments. Archie found a grey hair the other day" Clem smiled.

"Now, now. That might have been paint" he blustered and then smiled.

"And what about you?" Clem asked, "What's your secret? Don't tell me you have your own Tardis?"

"No" Yan smiled as she saw her chance, "Just a sliver of one."

She let her hair bleed to blonde, her features sharpen as she dropped the Sarah features and became herself, Clem's face changing to one of shock and then she began to laugh.

"Well, Archie is buggered there!" Archie laughed, "Yan! You bloody woman!"

"Yes. The thing that did not kill me made me stronger, seems to be a mantra" she laughed, watching her mother assess her as another woman would a rival, "I love Jack. Finding that we have forever to get it right is wonderful."

"Well now, ain't that a thing" Archie snorted.

"Little Lin, no wonder he is so strong" Clem smiled, "You saved me. It was amazing to see such a strong woman striding in like that. My gods."

"The baby" Yan couldn't hold back anymore, "what ever happened there?"

"Oh. Jed. He's about somewhere" she smiled easily, "The apple of my eye. He is so wonderful, a bit cheeky but as an only child he….is something wrong?"

"An only child" Yan repeated with confusion, "You never thought of the other two?"

"Two what? Oh! Yes" Clem waved a hand and snorted, "I googled them one day … a few years ago now. Rhiannon became what I thought she would. A fat middle aged woman with children hanging off her and a no good slob. I can practically see her folding leaflets for extra money."

Yan felt the chill in the room as she blinked, "And…the boy?"

"Ifan? Well" Clem's face changed "I was scared he would end up a Hoodlum or something, was so surprised when he went into T1 and started pinging in the reports here. Then…well … he made a horrible mistake. A Cyberman… but I am sure you know that. Jack would have told you about his ex. I never thought I would be ashamed of one of my children but … how Ianto could do that. When the reports stopped soon after I was unsure if it was a sorrow or relief that had me not asking how he had died."

"Died?"

"Well, that's why they stop right?" she shrugged and Yan looked at Archie who was blanching as he looked around for something to save him.

"I think you will find that Archie stopped sharing them. Your son is alive and well, still an active agent" Yan said as she thought this might be the moment.

"Well I hope Captain Jack pats him down before he leaves each day" a voice snorted and Yan turned to see a replica of Ianto standing there, the young man handsome and slightly more boyish than he had been. Well. Fatter …. Dumpy and …. Mothered?

"Actually he went one further" Yan felt the anger now as she saw that now only had her mother not exactly pinned for her lost children she had revelling in the one that should not have been. She rose and faced him, letting herself relax and let go of the guise, the clothing shimmering and then changing as well, a Phoenix in the flames that settled around his feet as Ianto stepped out of the shimmering air and glared at his little bother with open hostility. "He fucking married me!"

The silence was broken by the sound of something else breaking as Clem dropped her cup.

Ianto jumped away.


	11. Mama, my Mama

Ianto didn't know what to do, where to go and found himself in the kitchen with Dahlia turning to face him, "Darling?"

"Oh Hearthwarmer" he sobbed, collapsing into her arms and she grabbed for him with horror, pulling him close to croon and comfort. Whoever or whatever had done this needed one of those nuclear bomb things Owen talked about sometimes shove up their arse. Ianto pulled himself together and wiped his eyes, laughing shakily as he apologised and she shook her head as she argued with him that there was no need. She settled him at the table and after assuring him the children were all at Rhiannon's he started to talk.

He told her everything.

From Da to the replica with the floppy hair his Mama probably still stroked her fingers though when kissing him goodnight. Oh dear, he might have sort of howled a bit as he saw that he had remembered his mother as some sort of Gaia Earth Mother goddess or something and forgotten that she was a real person. One who had smacked him for letting Rhiannon eat his buttered scone that time, the mother who had told him he couldn't go to the cinema with his friends because he hadn't put the rubbish out even thought it wasn't his turn. It all came flooding out and at the end of it he sat hiccupping softly.

"Oh dear" she sighed. "Do you think Jack was the same? I do hope I am not a disappointment to him too."

"Don't be a divvy" Ianto sniffled, "You're lovely."

She felt such a rush of affection or the poor boy and wondered where this 'Scotland' place was. Maybe she should go slap the woman into some sort of order for her horrible words. When she voiced this Ianto had snorted and then laughed with some more tears as he told her it didn't matter. Some things were best left and he should have never opened that Pandora's Box anyway. "You reap what you sew and I did give her away didn't i? Here I am so jealous of my brother. Jed, what sort of name is that. I ask you!"

"Yes, I would never have chosen that" she agreed as she patted his hand, relieved to see him calming down, "I mean … did he really look floppy?"

"Yeah. Weak. Or am I just hoping so?" Ianto sighed and scrubbed at his face as he leaned back, "I just got such a …a…shock. I had this image or her, this thought in my head and it's nothing like her. The Yan bit isn't even there. I don't think it ever was."

"That's because that's you love" Dahlia laughed as she pushed his shoulder gently, "Yan is you, nobody else. No matter what mask you wear, it is you in there, a lovely strong and determined person who loves his family fiercely. You would and have died for us, as has your bond mate. I am your Hearthwarmer, you are his Holdfast. If we cannot speak to one another as equals, without the need to lie or pretend then we have failed in our quest to be family. I tell you now… I am proud to say you are mine. To hear you call me Mama fills me with a glow of achievement."

"And… it is as it should be. The Mama I loved died. I will mourn her forever. You are the Mama that cares for me now and all I need" Ianto nodded, Dahlia nodding with satisfaction as she rose to check the children out the window as they now ran about screaming with glee.

"What will you do if she wants to talk? Will you listen?"

"Clem is not my mother. My Mama is the woman that died in the kitchen that night. I can see that now, I am at peace with that" Ianto smiled and now realised that he had to reassess and shake it off.

"When Gray returned… I felt such a fear" Dahlia whispered softly as she looked out the window, not at Ianto, "I felt anger. Shame. I wondered why he looked at me so, what he wanted. I even asked if he needed me at all the way he clung to you. Oh how I resented you. Now I see the folly of it all. I see that there was reason for things, there was need for things and in the end there was a completion and things are as they should be. As a mother, I can only ask that you give her that chance. The chance to atone."

"As a mother? Tell me, as a mother … did you ever give up on him?"

Dahlia swung to look at him and shook her head in denial, "A mother never lets go of her children, no matter what."

"Well there you go. Clem is not my mother. I need to think that way then" Ianto decided, rising to go out and enjoy his children as Dahlia considered thing more and went to find Jack.

She had questions now.

.

.

.

.

Clem dropping the cup was the second thing breaking in the previous chap because of course the first thing had been Ianto's poor heart.


	12. dragons should be let to lie still

Rhiannon sat silently chewing her sandwich as Ianto waited to learn her thoughts. He had given her a more condensed, less teary version of what had happened including Dahlia's thoughts on the matter and had asked for her option.

"So… all this time you knew?"

"No, as I said. I jumped back, so it was only this morning" Ianto repeated knowing Rhiannon was tying her best "This avo I decided since it was all done I would say hi. Paradox, I needed to wait for a few hours, not a few decades love."

"Right" she nodded. "Well. Jed. What sort of name is that?"

"I know" Ianto felt vindicated in his annoyance at the name, even his sister agreed it was a poncy name anyway.

"She said that about me?"

"I wanted to slap her" Ianto nodded, "Ya know … her hair wasn't really all that blonde. Dirty looking."

Rhiannon started to giggle as Ianto wrinkled his nose, "And as for the boy…what a divvy. Gods, he was wearing a tracksuit. Oh my gods, a tracksuit. What was he thinking?"

She was giggling now and he joined in, letting go a bit more as he saw that he really should have just let her go, like…releasing a wild animal back into the wilderness. You can never go back right?

"Tiger?"

Ianto turned to find Jack hovering, "You …um…. Got a sec?"

Ianto looked at Rhiannon and they shared a moment before he rose and followed Jack out into the backyard down by the trees he loved so much. He knew Jack was twisting a bit, his shared talks with Archie no doubt weighing now.

Ianto wondered if he was angry or disappointed. It was hard to tell as he sat on a stump and waited for him to speak.

"Archie rang, was a bit flustered. Said you came to tea and got into a bit of a …um … fluff."

"Fluff" Ianto blinked slowly, "Cariad, do I seem to be someone prone to a ….. fluff?"

"What happened?"

Ianto told him, each time the retelling was less painful and this time he could even laugh a little at himself for putting his mother in angel wings and a crooked halo.

"wow" Jack said after a while. "Um… Archie didn't want her to know you were Yan. It was accidental, you were always Yan when talking with them, we seemed to settle into that and Lin always refers Yan hold him for the videos. It never occurred to Archie that you were you. Archie is a weird cat, you know that love. He really forgot." Jack grimaced.

Ianto stared at him and then frowned, "Don't lie. You both agreed to keep us apart as it was easier for the paradox."

Jack sighed, "I didn't know you were Sarah! Look. When the thing happened with the shard he didn't want to tell her, Clem is important to him, they are…like … together and he wanted to protect her from knowing that you had been hurt. Then you were OK and he saw that she might be a bit miffed that he hadn't told her so he decided on a complete blackout. Archie sees things differently and it was…easier to let her think you were dead. He never thought this would happen and honestly had forgotten that you are Yan."

"Yes, I can forgive him" Ianto said blandly and Jack looked at him furtively.

"Him?" he simpered, "What about me?"

"I don't know" Ianto rose and ran his hands over his trousers, "I am a bit put out ya know. Might need some pampering to feel loved again. A nice evening meal somewhere I can dress up. Maybe some targets that are lifelike….Jed did have a big head."

"Ouch" Jack snorted, "Really?"

"I am pissed, beyond pissed and Rhiannon is still chewing over it too. She googled her. Like…once? Johnny's death was in the papers, there was a funeral and everything. She would only have to google to find that. She only looked that once, clearly."

"They live in their own little world. Like a bubble of Shangri-La. You have really shaken them up." Jack tried to soothe and said the wrong thing as Ianto bristled.

"Me! I shook them up. Me!" he snarled as he pulled away, "Well, fuck them too!"

"Aw…come on Tiger, don't be like that" Jack begged, "You wanted a nice evening meal? Yeah? A nice night out?"

Ianto was storming off and Jack swore softly as he saw that this was going to take more than a simple kiss and cuddle to fix. Damn it all, he shouldn't have ever said anything. Then he felt bad as he watched his mother walk out to cuddle Byrd who had fallen over. He had his mother. How could he possibly understand Ianto's feelings right now when his own Mama had just injured him so.

Jack had a plan forming.

Gods help us.


	13. not good table manners at all

Yan looked like a movie star, as always. She wore a midnight blue dress with a flared skirt, her hair in a pretty bun with strands loose for Jack to tuck back in the way he likes to. Her silver pumps were pretty as she skipped down the stairs and she looked excited. Jack felt the first pang of confusion. Was he about to make a mistake?

They got to the new French restaurant and Jack got them seated, Yan speaking fluently with the staff who were enamoured. Of course they were and Jack looked up with relief as he saw a young couple enter and the man wave as the woman relinquished her coat. Yan noticed and turned to follow Jack's smile, her face changing as Archie and Clem approached.

"Jack! Meddler" she scolded, then a third person entered to follow them and Yan's mouth closed into a thin line that Jack knew meant she was pissed. Well pissed now. Shit. This was clearly Jed and he did look like a soft, doughy version of a young Ianto.

"Hi there, Jedadiah Sims" the young man said and Jack rose without thinking and accepted the offered hand. Soft and feminine, not Ianto at all and Jack pulled his back with a frown.

"Archie is relieved to get here, the boy drives like an old woman" Archie said as he pulled out the chair for Clem and she settled with a soft smile, then focused on Yan.

"Lovely hairstyle dear, did it take you long?"

"No, just a blink" Yan said stonily, looking at the young man who was now looking between them like a rattle snake.

"So. You are the mighty Yan Mama talks about. We didn't get a chance to talk earlier with your flouncing" Jed finally grinned, "You look just like her. Funny … the picture she showed me of my sister was of a frumpy thing with dark hair and two rugrats hanging off her."

Jack now felt a slight bristling as he focused on the man who seemed to lack a brain filter, "Rhiannon is a looker! She recently remarried and is a wonderful mother to their THREE children! She is my now sister too ya know!"

"Three?" Clem asked with surprise, "Wait. What happened to the slob?"

"Johnny was killed in a little invasion" Yan said calmly, her monotone telling Jack things were going downhill fast, "Luc loves her and adores her curves. She has lost a bit of weight now she has more self-esteem much to his horror and he knelt at her feet begging her to remain curvy and sexy. His son loves her as a Mama, no longer a poor little motherless cub. Rhiannon is strong, reliable and very loving to both her three children and our menagerie."

"Lin" Archie pointed with his fork, "Archie does like that wee one. Ah, he has a lovely smile."

"His father's smile" Yan said softly as she looked down and Jack looked over at Jed to see him staring intently at Yan.

"Do you practice that?" He said as he leaned over to put his face into Yan's, "The simpering look. The … what is it? Marilyn Monroe? Grace Kelly? Who do you pretend you are? You know there is a porn star who…"

Jack's hand slammed down on the table silencing the entire restaurant, the sound like a gunshot as he stared at the young pup, "If you are about to compare my Holdfast to a…a…."

"Whore" Yan smiled now, her lips changing to a bright red as her hair sprung from its clips to change to the deep auburn Sarah, then she canted her head as it changed to jet black ringlets and her lips were now exaggerated cupid's bows then as they watched her change again into a Sergilot, one of the most desired creatures in the Pleasure Planets.

Jed sat transfixed as she returned to Yan, now with her hair around her stony face.

"Shit" he snorted, "I bet you are so much fun when it comes to role-playing. Do you do Daisy Duke? I always wanted to fuck her ya know"

Jack had stalled out, his face changing colour as his hands bunched the cloth into his fists and Archie reached out to slap the back of Jed's head, "Rude little gobshite! Apologise to the lady!"

"Not really a lady is she? He? I mean … it's all an act Pa!" Jed grinned and Yan rose from her chair as she looked over at Jack who was rising as well.

"Get my coat would you Cariad?" she asked and he nodded, stomping off to get it along with his own as Yan turned to the table and looked at the woman that resembled her mother "So. This is how you raise a child. I was raised in fear, loss and pain. I was physically and sexually abused at some of the homes we were placed in, scared, alone and separated from Rhia in some. No one comforted me, no one wiped my arse for me that is for sure. Apparently I should be grateful, I am the better for it if this is the weak fool you raise."

Clem's mouth fell open as Jed rose and got in her face, "You take that back. It takes more than fake tits to..."

Jed flew back and hit the table with a resounding crash and lay there staring at the Captain who was snarling with rage, his teeth exposed as he reached out to thump him again but Yan made a small noise and Jack retreated, shaking with rage as he bent to retrieve the coats he had dropped and threw over his shoulder, "She saved you two ya ungrateful little bastard."

Jed held his jaw with open shock and then started to wail as Clem tried to comfort him.

"See?" Yan said as she let Jack drape the faux fur over her slim shoulders, "His balls have not even dropped!"

Jack led her away as Clem looked up from her baby and watched Jack glance back to meet her eye with stony anger.

An epic fail.


	14. change of tack

Archie was on the doorstep, his face one of misery and Ianto stepped aside to let him in before remembering why he was mad at him and then felt unable to take it back. Damn those Welsh manners.

"Who was at the door?" Byrd asked, seeing Archie and canting her head as she stared for a moment and then smiled, turning to go into the other room to tell Lin who was here. Owen came from the kitchen with a hunk of cheese in his hand and looked at the young man with interest and Archie stared back.

Ianto remembered a beat too late that Archie didn't like Owen and could only watch Owen approach the man with his face screwed up, "Is that a kilt?"

"No" Archie replied with his Scottish lit "It's a scarf."

Silent as they regarded one another and Owen's eyes narrowed, "You're Scottish."

"Is that what it is? I kept wondering why I sound different to you twits"

Owen blinked, then looked around like he was confused, "Ianto?"

"Yes Owen?"

"Who is he?"

"Archie is standing here" Archie snarled, "Ya kin' ask him, himself ya know"

"Archie!" Lin screamed as he raced on his fat little legs, arms up for a pick-up, so excited to see him in the real flesh.

Owen pointed, "I FUCKING KNEW IT!"

"Owen, be a good man and fuck off would ya mate?" Ianto asked and Owen looked at Ianto with shock, then nodded. He wandered off and Ianto led Archie to the office where Jack was reading a file.

"Cariad, Archie is here" Ianto said and Jack looked up with confusion, then saw the man and grimaced as he pointed to a chair. Ianto plucked the child up knowing the language that might fly so whispered that it was cupcake time "I'll leave you two to it."

"What? Archie wanted to talk to you too" Archie spluttered and Jack shook his head.

"Ianto has better things to do like wash the dog" Jack said with the deadly calm of an angry man, "You and me? We talk, yeah?"

"The little shit is spoilt, always was, Archie told her she was building a cane to beat herself with" Archie said with his usual weirdness, "Archie gave him a good telling off, reminded him that he is only here because his brother decided to save him. You know what he said? What he said to Archie?"

"No, tell me."

"Ianto saved her…not him. Like… like … Ianto's work, all that work as well as yours…and Archie's to get her safe was nothing to do with him. Can ya believe that shite mon!"

"Unfortunately an only child who has been indulged his entire life without consequences is gonna wind up a prick" Jack agreed, "Clementine loves him, that is not her fault but the two she left behind sacrificed for him as well. If not gratitude then some respect would be nice."

"Sometimes Archie thinks she breastfed too long" the Scot frowned.

"My turn to speak?"

Archie grimaced but knew Jack had a right to his anger, letting him blow off steam as he ranted for a while then they agreed the best thing to do was this 'line' policy they seemed to have. Archie hoped this might work and agreed to go home and tell them what had been decided, Clem nervously waiting as she wrung her hands.

She spoilt the little git, Archie kept telling her she was overdoing the compensating but too much, he knew it would all end in tears and the 'I told you so' kept tickling the back of his throat. Damned kid. If only he didn't love him so much, see him as his own boy. Might be easier to chastise.

Maybe this would work.

Jack watched Archie go and turned to find Ianto in the doorway watching him, "So?"

"Line" Jack said calmly, "I called a line. This is stupid and maybe a do-over might be the thing. They need to pull their socks up and we need to focus in what it important. Us. You saved her, you eased that part of your heart, don't give another piece over instead my love. It's my heart too and I like it beating for me and my babies, no one else. Is that selfish?"

Ianto smiled as he walked over and stroked Jack's cheek finally seeing that this was hurting him too.

This wouldn't do.

Maybe a more… meaningful conversation was needed? One where they were shown who he really was since they seemed to have no idea why Jack called him Tiger?

They wanted to catch one by the tail?

Fine.

Maybe it was time this one coughed and turned to face them head on.

Yan was about to show herself and damn…Junior better have his big boy pants on!

The line was about to be drawn with a big arsed red pained claw!


	15. Last warning

"It's good to see you" Archie said as he led Yan into the office behind his fake one full of old man shit. Clem looked up from the piece of tat she was cleaning with a toothbrush and lit up, rising to greet her.

Junior…sorry that's how he had become (like a sullen little fat kid with self-importance) in Ianto's mind … came out from behind some stacks. "Oh. It's you."

"Oh." She replied blandly, "It's you."

Archie snorted then looked away as Clem offered a cuppa and Yan politely said no then turned back to Archie like she was only here to see him, not them "I heard from Jack that you had a retrieval problem with the Marserpitals."

"Bastard things…oops..sorry little ears" Archie said, then stalled out as Yan raised an eyebrow. Still infantiling the creep? Really?

"Do you have the file? Jack couldn't find a copy. You did report to him right? Since they are in our sector?" Yan folded gracefully into a chair, her legs folding as the dress split to show those shapely legs that looked sculpted from marble.

"Archie has not" Archie huffed as he sat and folded his own legs, thankfully the kilt did not split the same. "Still writing it."

"Well, they can be pricks at times, agreed. But… it was just a modulator, right? They are using it to mimic humans in the drug scene? I mean … how hard can it be to retake something the size of a cigarette packet?"

"Sez someone with no idea what we went through trying" Jed sneered at his sibling as he folded his arms to give her a lecture "You know… if you had ever actually been in the field … oh sorry those prefect talons might get chipped… you might know they are evasive."

"That's a big word Junior" Yan smiled, "did ya get one of those word a day calendars for Christmas? I got Owen one of those but he replaced the words with rude ones and now Tosh has confiscated it."

"Twat" Archie snorted with amusement as he watched the boy dig a hole he might soon be unable to see daylight from.

"I'll tell you what, next time we want someone to go fetch the sugar or coffee from the local corner store we will give ya a buzz yah? Mummsy can take the day off or something" he sneered some more and Yan canted her head as she revolved her head back to Archie.

"We have located the tat but are unable to infiltrate" Archie said calmly, "As you can see from Archie's surveillance, it is tight."

Yan leaned in and looked at it some as she hummed then nodded, "So … just eight of them? Really? They usually travel in tens."

"Just the eight detectable unless they are piggybacking one another or are busy fucking like…inbred lovers. I can count, our abilities there are not damaged we all saw the thermals" Junior said slowly like she was damaged and Yan suppressed the grin as damaged might be someone else soon.

"Right then" she rose to her feet "Back in a tad."

"Huh?" Junior said with surprise as there was a flash of golden light and Ianto stood there in black fatigues with a smear of blood across his cheek staring at the young man.

"Told you. Back in a tad…well … a Taddy" he grinned as he placed the piece of tat down on the table in front of his mother along with a bag of sugar, "There you are _Mummsy_. Ask and I shall provide … like I always do. And Junior…. Next time a simple snatch and grab is too much for ya maybe you need to pull your big boy pants over your nappy and get on with it."

Archie started to snigger as Junior stared at the tat then at Archie who turned to Ianto, "Can I bet a verbal debrief please?"

As he said 'I' not 'Archie' Ianto smiled and considered.

.

.

.

_Ianto is in the room the scanner indicates. It is like a steam room, the preferred environment for these creatures who like to be naked and sweaty as their fat grey bodies do not enjoy clothing. He sees a shape... a clothed body… it seems misshapen. He realizes immediately that he was right… ten in the building not eight, these two so close they might as well be bloody Siamese twins. A smaller one is clutching the arm of the larger one but is looking at Ianto with the intelligence of the two. Suddenly the larger brother is upon him and has him in a head lock. He grunts an instruction and his third brother emerges through the steam with an open razor._

_Suddenly Ianto kicks the razor guy in the balls and uses a martial arts chop to free himself from the other brother while the smaller close fitting one squeals with anger. In the steam there are boots and bare feet and knees and fingers flying. Ianto manages to gouge the eye of one brother and throw another against the wall. He obviously has serious combat training but the brothers are strong and angry._

_Suddenly Ianto is slashed across the arm by the razor and blood oozes into the steam and hot water. All the men are slipping and falling on the blood and hot water. Another slash of the razor cuts his thigh open. All the men are now covered in blood and Ianto, with a final surge of strength, manages to cripple the small brother with a blow to the throat, and the other with an elbow to the temple as the big one flounders for the little one like he is lost._

_As the_ _Marserpitals_ _slump to the floor, Ianto fumbles in the bloody water for the razor, finds it, kneels, and slashes their throats. He lurches to his feet, drops the razor, and staggers out of the steamy room snatching the tat from the table on his way past along with their weaponry._

.

…

.

.

"It was on a table with some weaponry from their pockets as they had emptied them before de-shielding. I just picked it up and kept walking" he shrugged.

"What weaponry?" Junior demanded and Ianto turned to leave as Archie hisses at the boy to shut up but he calls again "What weaponry? If it's Alien it's ours!"

Ianto paused and turned to face the boy then glance at a shamefaced Archie.

"MY weaponry. If Jack finds it boring he might let you play with it sonny and if it's Alien … it's usually mine and he's late home for supper" Ianto smiled sweetly, then turned and left ad Archie sighed.

"You are a dick" Archie informed his charge who looked at him with confusion, "I mean. Really? Look at him, not even a scratch on him and you … you couldn't even get through the front doors."

Ianto let that be the shot across the bow.

Next time he would sink the little shit.

Right into his wee bubble bath, probably lavender scented so _Mummsy_ can sing him a bedtime melody or some shit.

Fucker.


	16. let it go

Ianto was still steaming as he placed the lamb chops in the oven for tea and looked out to watch Rhiannon approaching with her hips swinging and her face full of intent. He opened the door as she got to it and let her in, watching as she slumped into a chair and huff, "The lilacs are preggers AGAIN!"

"Shit" he sat and watched her fiddle with the cloth on the table, "You still thinking about the baby you can't give Luc?"

"Yeah" she said morosely.

"The Lilacs, they had you for dinner the other day right?" Ianto asked and she knew he was playing as she snorted, "Did they taste you? I mean? Any licking or a bit of hand absorption."

"Stop it" she giggled, then frowned, "Actually…the hand thing. That is a little weird, they had never done that before. How did you…"

Ianto let her process then look up at him with wide eyes "No! No, they…really? Ya think?"

"I know that devious grandmother out there wants another one or six to smother against the cat fur covered clothing" Ianto replied calmly, "If you and Luc both got a hand squashing from the one Lilac it stands to reason that if said Lilac is now growing in girth it is preparing a gift."

"Oh my god!" her eyes blew out as she considered, "Will he be OK with that?"

"Well … I don't see why not. It will be his won't it? And yours. I mean ... look at little Hero and tell me that he isn't in the right family." Ianto laughed, "And as for Kitty … Byrd doesn't call her Harper for nothing. She is her father' daughter with that little mouth already sharing his 'Word a Day' exploration."

"She is a little beast, had Lin in a headlock the other day" she giggled "for a toddler she is scary strong. So small but…"

"Lithe" Ianto said with a grin, "There's your word for the day. Lithe. Lithe like a snake."

They giggled and then she looked around, "Where were you earlier?"

"Mummsy and Junior poking" Ianto replied, then told her what had happened and as he suspected her first question was if he was OK.

"I love you" he whispered softly, "You are my Mummy. Always were. I love you Rhiannon more than any other woman in the entire Verse."

Rhiannon preened happily as she ran her hands over her own belly that had betrayed her ability to provide for their clutch then she looked out the window, "Do you think they will let me chose the sex? Or… have they chosen already?"

"He wants a girl" Ianto said firmly, "I see that in the love he has for Mica. He would love another little girl as he sees the children as groupings and another girl would complete them in his mind."

"Yeah. I think that too, also … David might be a bit put out as he really … desperately loves Luc" she nodded.

"Well … just as well I sort of told them that then" he rose and checked the tea pot as she started to laugh and saw it was not Dahlia to blame at all, rather she was as much a pawn in this game as the rest of them.

"And another little girl will mean Byrd lets Lin alone a bit? She is getting a bit bullyish towards him" she added.

"Jealousy. Something I did not think about at the time but know now does exist. They will never be besties, not like I would have liked. She has her posse. Her babies and he is surplus. If you can help there with one more his age he would be happier and it would mean she has a best friend who focuses on her as well. I see two distinct groupings, the firsts with Byrd leading the charge into madness and the seconds who really don't give a shit for all that and just want to talk about doggies or something." He agreed as she laughed.

"You've seen them" she accused suddenly as she caught on, "You've seen them as adults haven't you!"

"Promise not to tell!" he demanded then leaned forward and whispered "She keeps them all as mates. Like… a harem."

"No!"

"SOOOO much of her father in her!" Ianto huffed, "Yep. Harper, Blaine and Piney. Hero is more like a sibling to them all … like a sidekick."

"Piney?"

"Oh, he comes later" he waved a hand like it was nothing and she started to giggle, then gasp as she leaned over to get her breath between barks of laughter.

"How do you keep it all straight in your head?" she finally asked as she hiccupped.

"I don't. Can't, not everything is fixed and I do meddle" Ianto rolled his eyes, "you know me. Tweak, pull, push, kill."

They both laughed now as he poured, choosing to be Mother.

He didn't need one after all.

He was doing fine for himself.


	17. poke....poke.....SNAP

Now they were here.

Ianto not sure how to respond as Archie pushed in through the front door first followed by the sneering Junior and then a shamefaced Clem who handed over some flowers from her garden. Dahlia was in the backyard with the kids and Ianto hoped she would stay there as he led them to the kitchen then groaned as Rhiannon turned from the sink to stare at their mother in silence. Junior chose Ianto's chair and sat, Rhiannon acting like a rattle snake as she struck, her hand slapping the back of his head as she snarled, "Get out of Ianto's spot. Ya can see his morning crossword."

Junior yelped as Clem gasped with horror and Archie snorted as he watched the boy move while he rubbed the back of his head, "Ow."

Christ almighty" Rhiannon sighed, "That's one of mine screaming."

She left the house and called out as the door slammed shut Ianto slowly choosing to sit and look silently at them with a raised eyebrow.

"We wanted to come and…" Clem began but Junior interrupted.

"Who was the fat one?"

Ianto blinked and stared at him with confusion, "Huh?"

"The fat woman. Your…housekeeper or whatever" Junior pointed at the back door and Ianto blinked slowly before answering.

"That is our sister Rhiannon."

"Bullshit, that heifer? Must take after her father with that temper, bet her kids are fat little turds too" he snorted, Ianto's hand meeting the same spot on the back of his head that Rhiannon's had and the crack this time was loud.

"THAT is the one who was all I had when my parents were gone. THAT is my only family once upon a time you little shit stain!" Ianto snarled, "If you EVER disrespect our sister….no. MY sister again …. I will cut your little dick off so you can discover life as a eunuch."

Archie started to laugh as Junior looked at his mother and let his bottom lip wobble ever so slightly. Ianto smiled softly, "And as for that lip wobble thing, it doesn't work with my kids, it definitely will not work with a smarmy little tit gobbler like you."

"Tit gobbler" Archie spluttered.

"My mother never smothered us, our mother was never that loving. I remember her telling me to go into another room as she was too busy to look at the picture I had drawn, peeling spuds as she hummed to the radio. I bet she never said that to you did she" Ianto sighed, "I bet you were the sun and the moon. Well. You never knew my mother though did you. Just like I do not know this one here that is yours."

"Toto love…"

"Do not call me that" he rose gracefully and went to the window to look out at his sister, "Only my mother called me that and she is gone. I thought I had saved her but clearly I was wrong. She died in that kitchen didn't she? She left us."

"Ianto…I…please love. I …. This is horrible. Please, can we find some way to get over this? Line?" she asked hopefully.

"We came to apologise, not make more…shit" Archie spluttered as a hand appeared around the doorframe and Ianto watched Mica slide around to stare at the woman she resembled with her fair locks and large eyes.

Clementine looked at her granddaughter and reached out with glee for the child who stepped back out of her reach and turned to Ianto "Uncle? Who are they?"

"Nobody" he answered easily, more easily than he thought he might, "go help your mama."

"OK" she smiled sweetly, now Clementine covering her own mouth as the little one shone like an angel and skipped past then turned to stare at her "You look like Uncle when he's Aunty. Except… Aunty Yan is prettier."

Ianto preened happily as he watched her leave and then said softly, "And you too Gray."

The little boy slid out from under the table and glared at them then stomped after his niece with one last glance back before closing the door.

"You speak like you have some…some…authority over us" Junior said with a grumpy pout, "Who the fuck do you think you are judging my mum?"

"Once upon a time there were two little children afraid and alone in the back yard of a council flat as their parents fought in the kitchen. They died. They went away and those children were all alone." Ianto said softly, "I have those memories… you know what a paradox is boy?"

"Don't call me boy!"

"Well I can't call you a man yet" Ianto canted his head, "The thing with a paradox is the memories. IT can do our head in with duel memories, especially when so much runs parallel and is the same, like…all that work and what did it solve? What did I gain by this?"

"I don't have two" Junior said smugly. "I don't care."

"That's the thing Junior" Ianto sighed as he leaned back in the chair, "I don't have two for you either, ya know why?"

They stared at one another and Archie answered with a regretful shake of his head, "Because in the original timeline Jed was never born."

"Yeah" Ianto sighed theatrically, "that's right. In the original one Mama really dies. In this one? Seems like she did too. I wasted a lot of time and energy for what? A smart-arsed punk kid who can't read reports telling me how it is?"

Jed looked up to say something smart and saw his mother's face as she looked at him. For the first time he saw something he never thought he would. Shame.

His mother was ashamed?

Of him?


	18. an attempt to correct the stumble

"I think we need to take a moment to just recognise that we are on the wrong path and correct that" Clem said as she let her hands lay flat on the table.

"I have seen things, done things that can never be corrected" Ianto shrugged, "Why would I care to? I don't see why I need to change anything about this situation, look what changing things got me so far."

"Ianto…"

"Archie thinks you are not helping each time you speak boy" Archie patted Junior's arm affectionately, "Article thinks he might soon shoot you in the kneecap or something."

Ianto hummed softly as he looked at the woman who was once his mother, "I wanted you. Needed you so many times. Where were you?"

Lin came wobbling in and looked at them with open suspicion, Mica clearly having said something as Jack followed him in then sat holding the child.

"Mama did what she had to in order for me to survive" Junior said, "You wouldn't know anything about that. What a mother must do for her child, feel it inside her so needy and innocent. My mother loves me."

Lin blinked and looked at Ianto.

"And your Dam loves you too" he crooned to him, "When you were in my tummy I wanted to kill the world to keep you safe, honest."

Lin blinked again and nodded as he accepted that, then reached for a spoon to bang in the table as Junior stared at him, then Ianto, "What do you mean…Dam?"

"Ianto/Yan birthed this one, I bore Byrd" Jack explained, "We are the parentals of these children, I am the Dam of our daughter, Ianto the Dam of our son. Do you not read reports?"

"I asked the same thing" Ianto agreed sagely, "I don't think he does Cariad."

"Huh" Jack grunted and frowned at Junior who was looking around the table. Of course this was the perfect time for Luc to enter the house…. Semi naked of course and head to Ianto where a bear hug was warranted as well as a solid kiss on the lips Then he straightened up and looked a the table of people and pointed at Clem.

"She looks like you when you are _Her_ " he said. "If you were being older and less pretty."

"This is Clementine. She was the one who bore me" Ianto said calmly, "Rhiannon too."

"Your Mama? Yes, she came to annoy Rhia, my wonderful woman."

"My Mama is out there arguing with Byrd about bathing the dog...Dahlia." Ianto blinked slowly, then smiled, "This one is the one who left me. She is the one who reared her youngest pup here as an only child."

Luc stared at Junior and frowned, "But… he is not blood right? I mean ... he looks…. (Luc leans in to stage whisper) a bit weak, brother."

"Yes, I believe he is. Not even a Goffil would stand much danger I think." Ianto agreed and Luc gawfed with laughter as he looked at Junior again.

"At least he has meat on him. Nice and chunky. He would survive a blizzard!" Luc said as he headed to the refrigerator and Ianto felt a bubble of laughter in his throat as he watched Jack struggle s well.

"That's not entirely fair" Jack finally said as Lin watched them all, the spoon now balanced on his little finger like a magician, "I mean … it's baby fat, right? He is the baby."

"True" Luc agreed as he drank a pint of milk from the bottle… as in the entire thing then gapsed, "Don't know if he will be much of a breeder though, your kind like your male mate a bit more….ah…. tidy."

"It's called grunge" Ianto said with a sage smile, "It's supposed to look untidy. Like … rock and roll and heavy metal music. It's supposed to be loud."

"Ah" Luc nodded, "Brother, can I take the children for a ride to the Herbis House? They have kittens."

"OK brother" Ianto nodded and Luc slammed out of the house as Ianto looked at Junior, "Don't take it personally. His kind are warriors where the men are built like brick shit houses and their women are bohemian goddesses. He loves Rhiannon and the children as if they were his own."

Junior looked at the baby who was now balancing the spoon on his little nose.

"Ignore him, he's bored. We are going to take him outside and do some colours later, he loves calling out colours" Jack smiled as he stroked his son's hair, "Linny loves colours yeah?"

Lin pointed at Archie "ARCHIE!"

"And he loves Archie too" Jack crooned as he kissed his son.

"Archie" Lin nodded, grinning at Archie then going back to banging the spoon in a rhythm.

"Look, let's give it a little time. Space, yeah? Junior….I mean Jed. Go read some, learn some and then consider things. I am not here to take your mother from you, obviously she is your mother not mine. I wanted to save her, which I did. I saved you both. I was only checking things were OK, that she was OK. Now I see she doesn't need me anymore. I see I don't need her either. Shame, you never knew the joy of a sibling. Some things can't be fixed I guess." Ianto rose and motioned for the door, "It's time for Lin's colours so let's just keep things professional for a while and see if we can let this feeling of…disappointment pass, yes?"

They rose and headed out, Clem hesitating in the doorway to look her son in the eye and she saw her own father's steely gaze as he judged her.

She knew he was disappointed.

So was she.

After all this time, her little boy was still trying to be the man of the house and to her immense sorrow she saw that not only had he achieved this, he was the man his own cruel father had never been.

He was righteous.

And she wasn't. It was clear to her now that even as Ianto had taken after her father Jed had taken after his own.

A Jones Bastard.


	19. my mama

Ianto went upstairs leaving Jack to the children. He didn't feel like joining in and as he heard the faint calls of colours while the children helped Lin, he pulled back the bed covers and clambered in.

Dahlia found him there, a little lump in the bed and although she didn't know what was happening she recognised a child in need of comfort, so she sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed where she thought his back was while singing gently like she once did for her little boys. Ianto sighed and rolled, turning to face her, suddenly large again and he smiled softly at her, "Hey Mama."

"Hello sweetling" she smiled back, moving to lay on top of the covers and stoke his face, "What's wrong darling, want to talk?"

"Nah" Ianto's face crumpled and she pulled him on for a cuddle, crooning as she tried to be a good Mama to the poor lost child. She felt anger as he settled and started to finally speak, telling her of his attempt to save his mother, his fears and disappointment in learning that in saving her he had to let her go anyway. Then he said something that stopped her heart, "But like I said to her as I saw her out. I don't need her after all. I have you."

"Oh my little one" she gushed, kissing his face as she crooned and stroked his hair, "My baby, yes I am yours. Always my love."

Ianto sighed softly, rubbing his face into her chest as he hugged her tightly, "I am so silly even thinking I needed her in my life. The memories, the images of her in my head were so…so … tainted. She is not what I remembered at all. I know we do that, only remember the good things in our past but… I forgot just how much I ached for her attention sometimes and she would turn away. I remember now, her face as she looked away and told me she was busy. The crushing feeling as I walked away to sit alone in the other room."

"Oh sweetling" Dahlia sighed sadly, the thought of a child going without a cuddle, without the love of a parental such a tragedy and to think he was so sweet and loving despite not receiving enough himself. "What do you want to do?"

"Right now I'm hungry" Ianto muttered into her left boob, "I want jelly. Red jelly and ice-cream all melty and stuff."

"Well I know there is a bowl of red and a bowl of purple in the fridge, I made it up this morning for the children. What say I get you a big bowl and the kids can have some fruit with theirs later, yeah?" Dahlia crooned and Ianto nodded with a soft smile.

"Please Mama" he said with a pout, "You know how I like it."

Dahlia rushed to please him, her heart aching for him as she wondered if that woman would come around again. If she did she would have words with her for certain, nobody made her little boy feel less than perfect. Soon she had a large bowl, holding it in her hands like a offering as he took a spoonful of melting ice-cream with a look of delight, humming as he sat up and seemed to come to life again. She had saved him. She had made him better.

Job done she went down and found her big boy sitting in the shade with a baby asleep in his lap as he watched the other children race about with some Lilacs on the lawn as the sprinklers made sure the grass was nice and wet.

"That woman. The one who was his Dam. If she comes back you come and get me. I will give her a Flermish on her ear for upsetting our little boy, how dare she be less than what he needs to feel loved. How dare she!" she snarled as she reached out and took the baby, "How can a mother even look at a child in pain and ignore it."

"I wanted to go up with him but I know he didn't want me to see him upset about it. He feels like it's a personal failure that she's not all he thought she was" Jack nodded, "He OK?"

"Jelly and ice-cream" she smiled, a little squeak as Gray scrambled to his feet had them laughing, "Come on then. Ice-cream, jelly and some fruit salad, yes?"

"YEAHHHHH" they raced indoors and cooed at the purple jelly, Ianto's' bowl pushed back into the fridge in case he needed some more later, for his poor lovely heart.

He had a Mama, he said so and she was so proud that he had chosen her. Her. His Hearthwarmer. He had stood in front of the woman who birthed him and named her….HER as his Mama.

Yes, she would make that woman's ears bleed!

She would defend her bond-son!


	20. Big Byrd meets HER and we meet Lin

Things moved in the direction they seemed to find most…comfortable with the video calling less as Lin sensed something wrong when Archie mentioned Clem and his Tadda would go quiet. Also, he had noticed that Yan no longer came to see Archie. His little mind knew things, saw things and was wary.

It was on a Friday that the call was with Jack and Archie, Ianto hovering in the background as he listened without wanting to take part when there was a startling noise. Bells, whistles and klaxons started to echo through the speakers as Archie's face changed to one of confusion and Ianto rushed around to watch as Archie rose from his chair and yelled for a report.

"Arch?" Jack asked as he moved his chair so Ianto could take the other knee, Lin now interested to find Taddy got nurses too. They watched Archie race past yelling over his shoulder then Clem came past with her face pale as she reached out for some switches to the left of screen, then she looked at them.

"Furbies" she panted, "Looks like a whole bloody ship has landed by the loch, they are almost to the township and the children are home on school leave."

"Fuck" Jack rose as Ianto snatched the baby and ran for Dahlia yelling for her as Jack turned to the screen "We are coming, don't worry. We will get there as soon…"

The sound of the Tardis had him turning to find it in the corner of the room and a gorgeous woman standing in the doorway with her strawberry blonde hair swinging around her face. "Baby?"

"Hi-ho Daddy, we have to boogie!" she barked as Yan entered the room, her cat suit black, tight and sexy. Jack didn't think twice as he ran after them and as the doors swung shut he found himself face to face with a handsome black man who seemed to be patting him down with murderous intent.

"Walter, that's Dad" the big Byrd was laughing, "you know him."

"Not this one, he seems too soft" he replied with a soft Welsh lit that had Jack blinking. Then another man moved into view and Jack was taken with the handsome youthful face and blonde hair as he canted his head.

"He never changes though Piney Man" he said and this man who she called Walter answered the man showing Piney was his name as well as Walter.

"Sez you Blaine. You always have a soft spot for him."

"Blaine" Jack said with wide eyes as he stared and Andy and Rhys' son with glee, then he looked over at the twins who were sitting calmly loading their weapons. "Hero? Kitty?"

"Harper" Byrd corrected, "Only I call her Kitty now Daddy. Taddette, you look lovely with that hair!"

Yan had chosen Byrd's red colouring today and looked like Cat Woman about to go off on some dastardly plan and Byrd's face softened, "I always love that colour but blonde is my favourite on you."

"I know Sweetling" Yan smiled softly, "But… this is your first meeting with HER and I do not want to be associated, if ya know what I mean."

"Her?" Piney asked.

"Grandmother" Byrd said dryly, "Of course. This is it, is it? I remember you upset and Hearthwarmer flustered. She told me it was a hurt, your heart was hurt. I remember now, something to do with Archie and Clementine. And … fucktard."

"My mother's child" Yan sighed, then the grinding stopped and they were there, Jack first out with the two large men following, the twins moving to flank Byrd as was obviously their standard spots. Byrd glanced at Yan again then nodded stepping out to face the woman waiting. Gods, she did look like Taddette but … not. Clem's eyes widened as she stared back.

"Yan?"

"No." Byrd said flatly then motioned to Yan who had stepped out and was looking at the monitors with interest, "Taddette is over there Grandmother. Excuse me, Daddy will start shooting without me if I don't hurry."

Clem blinked then turned to watch the lovely vision race off, Yan turning to face her, "Don't mind her. She has her father's bloodlust that one. Lin is so much softer….ah."

The young man had been in the back rooms of the Tardis doing something and ventured out as the Tardis came to a halt, now stepping out to stand between his Dam and Grandmother, his flop of chocolate brown hair was sun kissed blonde at the tips and his face was so Ianto, down to the upturned nose but his father's brilliant blue eyes twinkled under the flop of hair, "Ho there Squishy. Did the cow get going without me?"

"Can't you hear pulse canon fire?" Yan said and he swung to face her.

"Oh Tadders, I didn't see you there I thought that was you" he smiled, leaning in to kiss her, the looking back at Clem, "So … if you are here then…"

"That is my … birth mother" Yan said and he grunted, kissed her cheek again the raised a cage.

"I hope to get one to study, if she doesn't kill them all, the mad mare" he smiled with his father's handsome grace, "Love you Squishy."

She smiled as she watched him race off, then turned to see Archie in the other doorway with his mouth open, "Bloody hell. Is that the boy?"

"Yes, that's Lin. Handsome devil isn't he?" Yan smiled, "Oh dear."

"What?" Archie asked.

"Where is Jed?" Yan's face dropped, "Shit, Byrd is not up there with him is she? Shit."

"Shit?" Archie repeated, "Archie wonders why shit?"

"Because she knows what happened here…now. She knows how he spoke to me" Yan started to run, "And she has her bloody knife in her boot."

"Shit" Archie said again as he looked at Clem, then took off as she sat heavily in a chair.

Yan had looked right through her.


	21. BAMF alert

Jed saw the vision exiting the bunker to stand and look out, then bark instructions as two men raced off to comply like she was a bloody dominatrix. Then twins, gods the twins appeared with matching outfits and deadly assassin looks as they slid about with guns as well, then one pulled out a katana and he wondered if they were possibly into threesomes.

He was still considering this when the sun was blocked and he looked up to find the vision in front of him, he gasped, "God, you are gorgeous. Do you wanna shag after this is done? I bet you are dynamite. Red heads are soo …."

His voice petered off as she snorted. Her curly hair seemed to move like medusa's snakes as she stared at him then she spoke "Short arse, ain't ya? Sure you're a Jones?"

"What?" he spluttered.

"I mean … you don't look much like our bloodstock. Maybe you were stunted when in her womb. Did she eat sufficiently during her pregnancy do you think? Needed vitamins or something? You are like…. Wow. Weedy and fat at the same time. How the hell did you manage that?"

"What?" he gaped, "Hang on. Who…what?"

"Byrdie" Yan was calling as she loped towards them with her long slender legs making her gazelle like "No maiming love"

"Well … Like Uncle Gray always says…" she smiled as she leaned in close and he could smell wild lavender in her hair, his dick twitching then freezing as something cold seemed to be pressing against it while she breathily intoned "…just the ball sack then? You can still live but not procreate and cause further harm then."

He looked down, the blade already slid inside the denim of his jeans with the tip tickling at his scrotum as she smiled sweetly, "Hello Uncle Jeddadiah."

"Byrdie" Yan got to them, "Please. He might be a tool but apparently he is blood."

"I don't know Taddette, I would question that without evidence" she frowned.

"Squishy…ah….I have to concur with MC. He does look a bit… not us. Are you sure your Mama didn't have a fat weedy little gardener or pet groomer on the side or something?" Lin added as he canted his head in that Jones way to regard the man his sister was examining, then he grinned, "Look at you. And you said you didn't collect things like me. A bug on a pin if ever I saw one Sissy."

Byrd blinked and then sniggered, her father showing as the Harkness grin evolved into that blood curdling one that made those poor balls in question shrivel more.

"That's enough. Go help your father, you know poor Piney will be trying to protect him even as Blaine will be the one striding in the other direction" Yan scolded and finally Byrd released the hapless child-man.

"OK" she sighed, then hesitated, looking back at Jed looked down at his crotch and fingered the hole, "That's right. Check out your best buddy there. Oh yeah, one more thing."

Jed looked up in time for the fist that slammed him back against the wall as she snarled, "And as for a threesome….sick prick. I have three partners, you really think I leave one out of the fun or something? Can't you count? And it was only the one time and Hyper Vodka was involved!"

She stalked off as Lin turned to look at those stomping and shooting with glee, "I knew it. Hero right?"

"No darling" Yan said with surprise, "Harper. She has Blaine, Piney and Harper. Hero is just tagging along as it's his family love."

"Really?" Lin perked up as he gave a little skip and took off towards him, the intent clear as Hero turned and smiled softly, raising his hand to help Lin over a slippery patch of fuzz.

"Awwww" Yan sighed happily, "I didn't see that one coming. Sweet. Siblings with siblings. Awwww."

Jed blinked as Yan turned to face him and her smile fell, "Did you really proposition your own little niece? My sweet little Byrd? Are you mad? She is the Doctor's favourite of all his godchildren. Even I can't help you if he gets wind of that ya know. Just… don't get in the blue box of madness, even if he makes it sound exciting."

Jed blinked as his eyes grew wider, "Why"

"He will drop you off somewhere and leave ya, ya divvy" Yan snorted, "I ask you … how long would you survive on a hostile planet? Hmmm? It would prove his point that you are not suited to her for a start. You get eaten or blown up and he clearly crows about your inferior training for days that one."

Lin gaped as the vision in black stalked off and Jack glanced over with an open grin.

He hadn't heard the conversation but knew whatever Yan had just said, she had enjoyed it so much as she swaggered over and kissed him, "Ho lover."

"Hey, look. I don't want this to get awkward but my bond mate is the only one I love" Jack said with a serious frown, "as gorgeous as you are… you are not a candle to my Holdfast."

The smile that lit her face was epic and Jack knew he had defused something as easily as she had moments ago.

Jed hurried inside with his hands cupping his crotch as he wailed for his Mama.

Byrd sniffed as she glanced back, "Only reason I let him keep his balls is because I couldn't find them in a month of Sundays anyway."

Lin roared with mirth as he turned from Hero's side to look back at her, "Now that's not fair. The way he was cupping himself there is an intimate relationship there Sissy. Even you can't get in the way of true love."

Everyone laughed as they spent the next half hour clearing the scene and the Yan glanced back one more time.

"Who left the door open?" she called with surprise "It wasn't the entire time was it?"

"Told you" Byrd sighed as she changed her gun for a smaller number for inside firing, "I still think he's not our bloodline."


	22. little pig and a wolf

They entered like liquid, moving to check each room as they moved through the facility, a distant scream making Yan break from formation to run as Clem screamed Archie's name.

She entered the office to find Clem and Jed standing on the desk clutching one another as Archie knelt at their feet slamming a huge book down around the edge of said desk while the things tried to scramble up.

Yan began to fire with a banshee yell, Byrd entering to flank her Taddette and they walked around the room as Jack waltzed in with his Webley out. Then he calmly slid his Webley into its holster and touched his ear as he turned away to dismiss the chaos, "Sound off."

Jed was trembling as he panted, wide eyes looking around for a possible missed fluff.

Byrd looked up at him and screwed her face up, "What the hell are you doing up there? Get down and help tidy this mess away at least!"

Clem released her son and he clambered down to look at the dead things with renewed interest then someone entered and he looked up form where he was kneeling to come face to face with a slathering ball of doom. The Furbie was leaning against the bars of the cage as Jed screamed and Lin looked at him with surprise.

"Sorry Junior, didn't see ya down there." Lin said breezily, "Taddette, is MC here?"

"Here Snort!" came a yell from behind the filing cabinet and he lifted the cage out of Jed's eye line.

"I have one for examination, don't kill it please ya Mad Cow!" he yelled as he swung the cage around Jed's head, the little fluffy thing screeching as it threw itself at him some more then Lin wandered off.

"Taddette, he's calling me Mad Cow again!" came a distant wail then some thumping, slamming and a squeak, "Fucker!"

"Language love"

"Sorry"

Yan sighed, "As long as you call him Snot he will call you MC, you know he will keep it up as long as you do. I wish you wouldn't needle one another."

"It's what siblings do" Byrd argued as she reappeared with her hair messed up and a wild gleam to her eye, "Besides … he is the most annoying one."

Archie was still scrapping the book against a trash can and glanced up, "One? Annoying one? Are there more of you?"

"Spoilers Sweetie" Byrd hissed as she pranced off and he glanced over at Yan.

"She's kidding right? I mean … Lin is the only other one right? Ianto?"

"Yan!" Jack barked as Yan ignored them, following her son from the room, "When in female form she prefers Yan, old man. We have no idea how many children we have… I hope I get one or two more from of the sexy times … mind … such lovely practicing."

Ianto snorted as he walked back into the room in male form and Jack grimaced knowing it meant he was uncomfortable now, his suit nowhere near as sexy as Yan's had been, "Cariad, we have some people approaching. Townsfolk I guess."

"Erg" Jack grimaced, "We're out of here. Where is that Mad.."

SLAP

"Aw, come on. I was going to say Mad Box!" Jack frowned, "I forgot where we parked!"

"Likely story" Ianto frowned as he looked over at Jed who was now on his feet looking at him with shame, "Hello Junior."

"Look … thanks for saving my bacon" Junior said as he watched Hero stalk past the doorway with the cage now held out with a grimace.

"I didn't come for you little piglet" Ianto replied shortly, turning to leave. "I'll gather the children."

"And I'll gather my wits" Jack replied as he spun to face Archie, "Go talk to your people and soothe them but a secondary sweep later once they are gone might be a good idea. Little shits are great at hiding."

"This was not funny" Archie growled, "Why did they bloody choose here to land?"

"Maybe you need to ask whoever turned on the transponder my VM is picking up?" Jack suggested as he picked up a PDA and waved it over his VM then handed it to Archie who frowned and turned with it only to find Jed behind him and as the PDA passed over the young man's pocket it chimed.

"Ah. Well … mystery solved" Jack smiled disarmingly again, "Hoist him up the main sail or whatever. I would say make him walk the plank but Nessie will be so full after you scoop all these into the loch."

Archie was silent as he glowered at the boy and Jed had the good grace to blush as his mother sighed with exasperation "You didn't. Oh Jeddy. Really? I told you not to play with Archie's things in the red basket"

As the door to the Tardis closed Byrd glanced at her Dam, "Honestly Taddy. She must have either been having an affair or he was swapped by accident in the hospital or something. That cannot be one of our lot."

Ianto nodded as he accepted Jack's arms around him from behind "He's not. He's not a Jones."

Ianto realised it didn't matter.

He didn't really care anymore.

Nope.

He wasn't a Jones anymore either.

He was a Harkness-Jones Ta muchly and it felt fine!

"Piglet" Hero sorted into the silence of the Tardis, "I like that. Fat little pig."

And so … Jed who had become Junior was now forever named within the Collective.

Piglet.


	23. my favorate colour

Ianto felt the air change as the Lilacs entered Rhiannon's house and powered down the hallway to fill the sitting room where the siblings had been sitting. Ianto could only watch with wide eyes as one moved closer to Rhiannon and undulated.

"Is it talking? Ianto? What?" Rhiannon reached back to slap at him while still watching the jelly move with curiosity, "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. They want you to know how much they love you and Luc" Ianto replied as the man in question appeared with a tea towel to dry his hands, settling into a chair to nod politely to the blobs. Then Dahlia was there squealing as she pushed her way to the sofa to sit with Rhiannon and gush excitedly. Rhiannon looked at her with open suspicion then over at Ianto again.

"Mama D? What the F…"

"Ah-ah! No in front of the baby!" Ianto scolded and she blinked, then turned to find one that seemed to have expelled a blobby mess and was holding it out. "You better take it Sissy, looks like its just born a few minutes ago."

Rhiannon took the baby with open shock, looking down at the tiny skinned rabbit who was blinking back at her with Luc's pretty cat-like eyes. Ianto leaned in to peek.

"Ahhhhh, Luc. Look, your eyes and Rhiannon's mouth. Gonna be a pistol!" Ianto gushed as Dahlia burst into tears of happiness.

Luc rose and stepped towards them, then looked around as if waking from a dream, "Huh?"

"A girl!" Dahlia gushed, "Look. They made you a girl! Oh … that hair is definitely Jones!"

Rhiannon was weeping, cradling the baby as she looked over at Ianto, "Is this really mine?"

"Yes. They cooked one from your DNA, you and Luc. This is your baby … like…via surrogate." Ianto smiled happily, "Sweet. They wanted to provide, they love making them. Looks like she is nicely done."

Luc crouched and reached out to hesitantly touch the baby's little foot then he burst into tears, noisy ugly wails as he clutched his hands to his chest and looked at his daughter with open awe.

"Careful. Looks like he might melt clean away" Ianto giggled as Luc bawled and rocked, the tiny little baby unaware of any problems as she kicked her little legs. "Might want a bottle, they usually come hungry."

"Oh! Yes, I have things" Dahlia rose and raced off, giving away who had planned this and Rhiannon looked at her husband at her feet.

"Get up ya girl's blouse, for goddess sake get here so you can hold her!" she scolded and he made a noise in his throat as he obeyed his woman, sitting and holding out his arms with wide eyes. The baby was slithered into this arms and Rhiannon looked over at Ianto, "Is this real?"

"Yes Sissy. Happy Born Day." Ianto smiled as Jack slammed into the room and started to shriek with jazz hands, dancing from Lilac to Lilac cuddling them and giving appreciative thanks. Ianto was more reserved and as each one approached him he hugged gently. He knew they liked that more than a mad pawing but forgave Jack his exuberance.

"She is perfect" Luc sobbed, "Look. My mother's eyes! She is…oh gods…a daughter. Complete. We are complete."

"What will we call her?" Rhiannon asked, "I wanted to call Mica Clara after me Mama, glad I didn't now. I mean…well. What do you think?"

"Lila" Luc said without looking up from the little goddess in his arms, "For the Lilacs who gave her. Lila."

"Lilly as a nickname" Ianto nodded, "I like that. Very apt and will fit the others."

"Yes" Rhiannon smiled happily "Lila Dahlia Harkness-Jones."

Dahlia froze in the doorway with her arms full of things, her squeak soft as her face exploded with a Harness Best. "Really?"

"Well, I blame you for this." Rhiannon laughed happily, "and you are her grandmother right? Feels right, the name staying in the family. Since changing our names to be Harkness-Jones we have felt more…settled. I am glad this is Luc's custom to take the name of the family he is wed into. Glad mine is that of my oldest male provider. Harkness-Jones sounds so…. Comfortable."

Dahlia was stumped for words, sitting and weeping happily as Luc wiped at the baby with a cloth, Rhiannon letting him be ineffective as she went through the things Dahlia had got and laid out clothing and such, then rose and retuned with a large serving bowl.

"She will fit in here, come on. Her first bath will be by the hearth of her home with her Hearthwarmer" Rhiannon said as she removed the baby from her husband's arms and handed her to Dahlia, "There ya go, clean her up while we get these price tags off and some clothing sorted."

Ianto watched Dahlia's hands shake as she accepted the little one, her delight filing the room as she knelt at the hearth and did what her people had done for so many rells, her mother, the mother that bore her and her mother. She warmed the little one at the hearth as she loved her.

Dahlia wept for joy as she now felt accepted as Rhiannon's mother as well.

Clementine? Who?

Someone was going to have a fight on their hands if they wanted space at THIS hearth ta very much.


	24. what will come next

Micha was beside herself, gasping and jiggling on the spot as she watched her mother fold back the shawl to reveal the little face and with a gasp she looked at those little cat-like eyes as they rolled to look at her with open interest.

"Lila. Lilly for affection" Luc told his daughter proudly, "Look. Now you shall have a sister to teach, care for and share secrets with. The boys can be smelly, loud and silly in their things and you can have your own special things to do together. Such a nice gap, she will look up to you and want to be all that you are. Oh my first daughter, I have such joy as you are such a lovely girl and to have another… so that when you walk by my side another walks the other …. Do you…do you like her dumpling?"

Micha seemed to be considering and Ianto knew it was a fine line, either jealousy or delight. Thankfully she chose wisely, smiling as she leaned in and stroked the fuzz of hair with affection and Ianto relaxed as he saw that she was not feeling replaced.

"I must tell my family" Luc said as he leapt up, "They must know. Another is borne. Another kitten is here … I must …oh."

Ianto looked up as Luc seem to deflate and stare at him.

"You family will want to come and see" Ianto guessed the horror, "We will have to put up tents and things, some do not sleep indoors do they? At the wedding there were many tents."

"Do you mind? They will want to celebrate, to welcome the new one. It might be…ah…"

"Mad?" Ianto supplied and Luc ginned, "Of course. Besides, Owen will love it. He is still talking about your wedding and the fire pit can be behind his house where he wanted to clear that blackberry patch. He will love fussing on the children that sneak into his house."

"Yes brother, good. Good. I will …ah…I will tell my brothers first. They can come and start preparing for them. My father…he will come." Luc swing to look at Jack now who rose with a look of consternation.

"He wasn't at the wedding, didn't approve of the mixed breeding" Jack said as he understood the problem, "A child though … he must come and either bless the mix of bloods or deny its lineage as inferior."

"Yes. Da will either be pleased with her or declare her not of our people." Luc was worried now and Ianto sighed.

"It is not their business who birthed her, she is yours and Rhiannon so really… do we have to say it was by surrogate? I know we said Rhiannon could not have more but can we not say you are so virile that you defied the Gods? It is not a lie, this is a defiance is it not."

Luc wrung his hands as he looked at Ianto and considered, "We could? I mean … not a lie. She has provided me a daughter, anyone can see her right here. It matters not if she grew in your tummy or your big toe, does it? What matters is that she is of us?"

"Well done" Jack said as he clapped his hand on Luc's shoulder, "You are very forward thinking. It bodes well for your people to see that they will endure and accept the ways of others."

"And what of your mother?" Luc asked Rhiannon and Ianto answered from his chair.

"She sits on the chair over there knitting" Ianto pointed at Dahlia, "The Hearthwarmer is doing her job and if he wants to challenge her worth he can come through me."

Dahlia preened happily as she watched Rhiannon agree, "Clementine is not our mother. Our mother Clara is gone, left us. We were orphans until Jack's mother came and filled our world with comfort. If anyone asked that is what we will say. Our mother and father are both dead. Dahlia is our Mama now."

"I am sorry" Jack assured Ianto who was sitting ramrod straight and it occurred to Jack that Ianto hadn't been Yan in a few days…seems like he was in a funk.

Jack had an idea, "I am going back to ours. Come find me when you are ready love. I would like to talk about the positions for the tents in relation to the children's area we will need."

Ianto nodded absently as he accepted the baby for a nurse, then smiled as Lin toddled over for a look, his little face full of affection as he crooned at her and stroked her hair like he had seen Micha do.

Ianto sighed and rose to follow his mate, walking across the grass as he looked over the area and saw that Jack was right, they would need to be stern on the area by the back door for the children. Some play mats might be a good idea to make sure on of Luc's people didn't just bloody claim it and then refuse to bugger off.

Ianto wasn't sure if this was going to work, someone might lose a limb before this was over.

A baby naming was sooo different to a wedding.

Gods.


	25. time stands still

Ianto entered the house and looked around for Jack, then headed up to their room, "Cariad?"

"Bathroom gorgeous"

Ianto canted his head and frowned, padding through to find Jack sitting in the huge tub full of bubbles, two champagne flutes sitting with a cheese board on the side.

"There you are lover, come let me tend your feet" Jack said happily, "Come on. Sandalwood, smells divine right?"

Ianto was beyond touched, especially as Jack usually only did this for Yan with flowery scents and he was soon in the tub with his eyes closed as he lay back and let Jack massage his feet, those thumbs kneading perfectly.

"I was going to ask if Tosh and Owen want to bring the kids over and have a little cuddle and babysit for us in the main room. Put out the big roll of bedding and let them snuggle. You and me might go out for a little meal to celebrate being Uncles again, would you like that love?" Jack asked as he watched Ianto relax.

"Sounds divine" Ianto sighed dreamily.

"I love you" Jack said as he squeezed the foot he as tending to, "Mama is so well made up. Thank you for helping Rhiannon and Luc welcome her in, I know it means everything to her that Rhiannon is calling her Hearthwarmer too."

"Italian?"

"Sure, I'll call Gwellit" Jack smiled, "We promised we would eat at the new place remember? He will be so excited."

"I will wear a double breasted coat" Ianto considered, "Maybe the apple green tie? A soft mint shirt?"

"Any chance you might wear something red for later?" Jack whispered, "Boxers?"

"Maybe…maybe a red g-string you need to remove with your teeth?"

"Oh wow, you are teasing me now" Jack smiled, his hand sliding up the ankle to stoke behind the knee, Ianto squealing as Jack knew he would and as the boom of Welsh laughter echoed in the room Jack knew he had fixed things somehow.

"Right, come on love" Jack got out and pulled his robe on, then turned with a large towel to dry Ianto, the suds running down Ianto's body sensual as his One and Only smiled softly back at him. Jack held out his hand as he always did for Yan and again saw the delight as Ianto accepted it to step out and stand on the matt, letting Jack dry him. Jack hadn't even know he had done it, hadn't realised he treated the two elements differently and now he did know he was going to try harder not to do that. Same heart, same soul and definitely the same endless love.

"Thank you Cariad" Ianto said happily as he sat and started to style his hair. He didn't need to, but it was a calming thing to do, fuss. It showed that he was happy, Jack had done things right and Jack went to call their favourite alien chef with a light heart.

Jack let Ianto drive, preferring to enjoy the street lights coming on like they had an entourage and as each one popped on he would squeak. Ianto giggled as he caught the game and stopping at the red light ahead was not an option, the twos and blues engaged so Jack could keep up momentum.

They reached the restaurant and found not only the chef but his family waiting excitedly, obvious surprise as Ianto slid from the driver's seat and then they exploded as they rushed the tall quiet man who they saw so little of. They did not understand the Yan/Ianto dynamic no matter how many times they were told of it and to them it had been a long time since Ianto had enjoyed their food and they fussed like old women.

Then the drive home as Ianto took the passenger seat, cradling the chocolate cake they had insisted on pushing at them like a drug dealer with a free sample, the babans apparently might be starved too.

They found Owen asleep in the large bed with all the children, well accept for Lin who was in the dog basket with Lucky who looked quite pleased to have a pup to watch over. Ianto decided to leave them that way, covering everyone with blankets and then heading up to find Jack folding the bedding back for him. Jack turned and called over his shoulder, "Got time for a little foreplay or are you tired?"

"Oh Cariad. I am never too tired for you and foreplay is for wimps. I am raring to go." Ianto said as he went to undress but Jack rushed over to do it, removing each item of clothing and placing it aside like opening a present.

Ianto felt so loved.

So wanted.

Something deep down seemed to shift and ease as he saw that he was important, loved and needed.

Jack was the parental he had sought as a child, the parental he never had and to know his children would never know that level or sorrow was comforting as well. "Cariad… you fill me"

"Let me get the lube first" Jack panted eagerly as he pinged the g-string and Ianto laughed as he let him shove him back onto the bed.

Yes.

There was time for him now, always in the arms of this man.

Ianto felt whole.


	26. Falling into a Lion Pit

Rhiannon opened the door and froze, the baby asleep on her chest unaware of the turmoil in her mother's heart as Rhiannon considered and then stepped to one side to let the young woman in.

"Archie wanted to come visit Lin and… I thought it might be a good chance to see you Rolley-Polley" Clem smiled as she followed Rhiannon down the hallway to the living room where Luc sat reading a book, his face one of question as he saw his beloved's annoyance.

"Luc. This is my… this is Clementine" Rhiannon said flatly, "Can you take our daughter for me love?"

He rushed to gather the baby up and Clem gasped as she saw it for the first time, the shawl over Rhiannon's chest had hidden her as she slept.

"Come one darling, come to daddy Lilly blossom" he crooned as he shuffled back to the chair and let her flop back so he could openly gush and adore her, the woman forgotten. Rhiannon turned to her and pointed to a chair, no offer of tea was made. This was not a social call after all, was it?

Clem lowered to the chair and watched Rhiannon sit, her wide hips sinking into the couch that Luc had carved himself then made the huge cushions for. She looked like she was settling into a throne covered with cushions and animal pelts.

"So. What do you want?" Rhiannon demanded, "I take it from the way you are eyeing my daughter you didn't know we have a new one, eh? He didn't' tell you? Probably not. Protective, he is."

Luc covertly glanced up as he heard his wife's snarl and for the first time was taken with the woman who resembled Mister Missus. Suddenly he got it and made a noise in his throat not unlike a cat's low wail of warning before a boxing match.

"Hush" Rhiannon said without looking away from her unwelcome guest, "You will wake Lilly."

He let his lips peel back instead.

"Better" Rhiannon nodded, then focused on Clem, "So? What do you want? He told me everything ya know. He always does. We don't hold secrets from one another. I know what that little prick of a bastard said too. You don't have to feel like you owe me something, you don't. Not now. You did mind, you owed me a damned lot for raising your son, right? You owed me holding him in the darkness when we slept rough, huddled in the abandoned car wreaks in the junk yard while we froze half to death and waited for the restaurants to close so we could sneak to their rubbish bins for food. Yeah, you owe me that childhood I wasn't apparently needing all that much. But right now? All you owe me is the time you are wasting I could be enjoying the bonding to my baby. The kids will be home soon, I would rather not have to explain to them that you are the woman who didn't want to be my mother anymore. Raised another one like he was your world."

"It's not like that" Clem sighed, "Roll…"

"Call me Rolley-Polley one more time and I will feckin slap ya, me Mam or not!" Rhiannon snarled, "I have his temper, I have his swing too and unlike him… I can hit sober."

Clem paled as she stared at this stranger who seemed so strong, so self assured and she saw the beauty in her regal slant of her head, the comb in her hair glinting in the light. Luc was proudly watching as his mate did her job as the woman of the house, standing firm as the shield to her children and he rose to gently place their child in the little bedding, his knife nearby if needed. All shields need a sword.

Rhiannon caught the movement and was touched that he was prepared to threaten her mother for her, such a lovely man and smiled at him, Clem watching her transform from her dead husband into her mama for a moment, the gentle face that of Clem's own dead mother.

"Rhia, we can't go back and change things" Clem whispered, "We can only move forward and try to repair."

"Ianto did" she challenged "He went back and saved you. You and the piglet. He wonders why now, why risk for you? Look at you, like a poor version of Yan. A sad one. I don't know you. You are a stranger. I mean ... Clementine? You chose that name? The song he would sing as he wove his way home from the local? The one we would hear coming closer and run to hide as he was right bladdered if he sang that?"

"Lost and gone forever, my darling Clementine" Clementine said softly, "I chose it so I would never forget that Clementine lost her footing and drowned. It was to remind myself not to lose my footing ever again. I remember that. The sensation of drowning. You understand that right? Your Johnny was a right…"

"Enough" Luc spoke, low and dangerous as the knife glinted at his side, "That man was the father of Rhiannon's' babies. A useless hunk of a man who could not heft a sword. His name is not spoken here. He failed to provide, he fell. I stand now, my queen is my rock, I am the moss that gently lays against her for the warmth that allows my growth. You will not cause fractures in her unblemished heart! I know a curse or two."

"Oh Luc, you do go all Viking when annoyed" Rhiannon said with open affection, "Don't curse her. She is going, it's OK my Shield. My Sword."

"Whatever you wish my Shield" he replied calmly, his catlike eyes softening, "My sword."

Clem rose shakily and made it outside before the first sob escaped.

That had been terrifying.


	27. no use crying over spilt tea

Ianto looked up from the tea pot he was refilling and paled as he watched Clementine run across the grass towards his backdoor, dropping the lid and then cursing as it shattered on the floor.

Jack looked up from Archie and Lin, "Babe? Did you scald yourself love?"

Clementine slammed into the house and closed the door, then leaned back against it as she panted. Ianto stared at her then his mouth moved into a thin line.

"Tell me you did not go into Rhiannon's" he said after a minute. Archie looking at her with confusion as Lin lay against his chest patting his arm like he was comforting him. Ianto's eyes narrowed as Archie had failed to mention that he had her with him.

"It was… an unfortunate decision" she said shakily as she moved to Ianto's chair and was almost lowered into it when Byrd spoke.

"Taddette sits there, can't you see the placemat?" she demanded and Clem looked at the little picture clearly scribbled by a small child to resemble a stick figure with a dress on under a tree that had been laminated "Taddette is in the garden!"

"Sorry darling" She moved to another one and Ianto returned to the table with another tea pot, his face grim.

"Is it broken love?"

"Yes"

Jack grimaced, the short one syllable answer giving away his extreme anger as he stared at his mother, Lin turning in Archie's lap to look at her as well, his large pools of sweetness drinking her in before sliding to Ianto to look at the anger. He reacted with a pout.

Ianto reached out and scooped him up to cuddle, whispering that it was OK as Lin clung to him, looking over his shoulder at the woman who looked … "Clemmy?"

"Hello sweetie" she smiled and the child stared some more and turned to Ianto, a little hand against Ianto's cheek as he looked into Ianto's face.

"She…she was my Mama once upon a time" Ianto explained knowing it was the likeness that was confusing him, "When I was little like you and Byrd she loved me."

Lin's eyes slid to her again as he considered, "A mama?"

"Yes, she has a boy called Jed. She loves him very much" Ianto said as he rubbed the little back of his most innocent child, "Me and Aunty Rhi-rhi are not her babies now but you will always be my baby. OK? You and Byrd and our Gray Boy… you are always my sweetlings forever and ever."

Lin seemed to accept that as he settled with his head against Ianto's' chest, his eyes closing as she sighed theatrically, "Mine."

"Yes, I am yours" Ianto said as he kissed the little head and crooned softly.

"You liked that one" Jack was still stuck on the tea pot, "didn't the Jorgen Contingent give that to you late time they were on-world?"

"It's OK Cariad, silly thing to collect" Ianto muttered.

"No, you love all your tea pots. That one was a favourite because the cosy Mama made fits over it perfectly" Jack rose and went over to look at the broken pieces of lid, "Can I glue it?"

"Cariad, it's OK" Ianto sighed, "The little cottage one is still unused. I can try that for a change."

Jack sat and watched Ianto fiddle with the cloth, now he saw how angry Ianto was not just with the loss of his favourite tea pot but the fact Clementine had entered their house without even knocking. Ianto was nothing if not a stickler for manners.

"Hello" a voice called and Ianto grimaced as Micha ran in, "Uncle, look. I got a cefiticate."

"Certificate" Ianto corrected immediately, "Let me see if you earn a treat."

Micha giggled and handed it over knowing there were always treats as Ianto pompously sniffed and held the card at arm's length, "Hmmm. Spelling. I see."

She giggled some more, her little face lighting up as he passed it to the Soft Touch and Jack gushed happily as he told her that he had never got one of these. True, Boeshane didn't even have real schools.

"Something from the special drawer for our girl, Tiger?"

"I think so" Ianto said and then smiled, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek, "For the princess."

Micha ran to the other room where the bottom drawer of the dresser held goodies to choose from and returned with a little tiara, "Can I have this?"

"Only if I can check if it fits" Ianto held out his hand and placed in her messy hair then tutted, expertly combing it with his fingers until it curled into ringlets and she looked like a little painting come to life. "There. Now take it to Mama and Kitty"

She squealed as she ran off, the certificate held high as she went to show the ones who would crow as well, Luc would declare her the smartest of all his children today as he demanded a feast in her honour. He did that at least once a week and she felt so spoilt. Of course there was a day for Davie and his sports awards as well as Luc's son Shae nicknamed Gecko which he actually liked and the kids were all calling Luc Kitty these days. Ianto had been unsure about that one but Luc didn't seem to care so whatever, right?

"Kitty?" Archie asked.

"He has claws" Ianto answered sweetly as Clem sighed softly.

She had seen that for herself.


	28. the calm before the storm

Yan was singing as she walked the gardens, the mist settling as dusk became night and all the little solar lights flickered to life like some fairyland. The flowers were mostly sleeping, their heads closed and bowed like they were giving reverence to her and she found the thought amusing, even as Lucky bounded past chasing a cat that seems to be terrified, if not for the fact it paused now and then so the dog can see it again, giving away the fact they were friends playing.

Luc approached and waited, Yan glancing over and then walking over to cant her head, the soft curls of today rolling around her bare shoulders as her tube top hugged her deliciously. Luc was in full dress, furs about his shoulders and his loosely flowing hair swept pack with a braid either side. No shame in it, after all … he looked edible.

"You are not cold sweetling?"

"No, my blood still boils, it will settle with time" she smiled, "What beings you out here to skulk brother?"

"They come" Luc said with a solemn sigh, "My father has declared intent to visit."

"Ah. Big is it?"

"We need a house for him. He will being wives, children, guards….shit." Luc grimaced.

"He will get three large Yurts. One for him and his nest wife, other wives and children in another and the men in another. That is the old ways, he is the one pretending to be all be bloody traditional" Yan snorted. "We will show him that honour!"

"I…you know what? You are right" Luc said as he considered, "He has gone with the ancient king thing for years now yet does not want to live the life he declares is his by blood rite. Yes. They can go here in the back, if he complains I will remind him the king always settled behind the families who shielded him."

"He will not like it but must keep up the game" Yan laughed. "You can quietly dominate him without him being able to snap back."

"And your ….her?"

"Not invited" Yan sniffed, "this is about family, not…. Not memories. It's about the future of this family and she doesn't not have a seat at the table now."

"Cold. No room beside the fire brother?" Luc said sadly and Yan shrugged as she walked away, calling back over her shoulder, "She's a Scot now … used to the cold."

Luc pondered and found sorrow in the knowledge that there would always be a pain there for both his beloved woman and her sweet brother. As much as he missed his own gone mother… he did not know how he would feel about turning away from her if she were still breathing.

Mind you…

If his father had not married that bitch his mother would still be here instead of poisoned and gone. He did hope his father brought that one, of all the wives… that one might finally get close enough for Luc to return the favour.

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So ends this section, the next one is the christening madness.


End file.
